Welcome to the new Weekly Q & A at Healthy Living How To. Each week I will pick three questions in my mail bag and answer them here on the blog. Read all posts in this series by clicking here. Let's get started!
Ghee
Question
Hello Vanessa. I enjoy reading your blog. Having stayed away from dairy for many years, I'm now thinking of trying ghee. I had a bout with Crohn's disease and it was advised to eliminate dairy. Through the years, I've also read that dairy may be problematic in other conditions also. Do you find for yourself that ghee causes no problems? I would like your comments and opinion about using ghee as opposed to dairy. Thank you. ~Robert
Answer
Ghee is butter with the dairy protein and milk sugar removed. What's left is butter fat. Ghee is rich in butyric acid, a short chain fatty acid with documented health benefits. It restores the integrity of the gut lining, reduces inflammation, has anti-viral properties, and has been shown to benefit those with gut disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Personally, I have a dairy allergy — to the milk proteins casein and whey. I have had no negative reaction to using ghee.
I recommend a high-quality organic ghee made from grassfed butter.
Recommended Reading: What the Heck is Ghee? & The Goodness of Ghee
Daily Eats
Question
You are absolutely beautiful and I love your facebook posts. I had lost 65 pounds and now have gained 30 back. Trying to get back into my routine of exercise and healthier eating. Can you give me a sample day of what you eat. But now feeling like I need to give up carbs mostly. The unhealthy carbs, mostly wheat I think! Thanks for listening!
You are an inspiration. ~Roselle
Answer
Believe it or not, I get lots of requests from readers for a peak at what my daily menu looks like. My meals are almost always a combination of protein and fat rounded out with vegetables and sometimes a little fruit. I start my day with a bulletproof coffee and have a second cup around the lunch hour. I always end my day with a healthy indulgence, whether that be 85% dark chocolate or one of my own healthy desserts. I strive to eat the highest quality real food that fits within our budget. For the most part, this includes grass fed beef and lamb, pastured poultry & pork, wild caught fish, farm fresh eggs, raw nuts & seeds, organic non-starchy vegetables and low-sugar fruit. I round out my meals with healthy fats like ghee, coconut oil and olive oil. Depending on my activity in the gym, I will re-fuel with a starchy tuber or a banana. I do my best to avoid grains, vegetable oils and sugar, even natural sugars like honey & maple syrup, instead I use naturally low-carb sweeteners like stevia, erythritol and xylitol. I also limit legumes and beans. I occasionally enjoy and indulge in a glass of wine or clear spirits. Finally I use nutritional supplements wisely.
Recommended Reading: My Food Philosophy
Bowels
Question
Hi Vanessa, I have a VERY embarrassing question, and perhaps you could write a post about it? I usually have one bowel movement a day, sometimes 2 and sometimes none at all, which I know ideally it should be about 3 movements a day. However, it seems that EVERY single time I go to the bathroom I am clogging up the toilet. They are huge BM’s. It’s horrible and it’s so embarrassing! I am mortified. I try drinking lots of water (the minimum of 8 glasses at least), sometimes up to a gallon and I still have a problem! I am a vegetarian, and I love almost every veggie out there. I love fruit too. I eat some fish like wild salmon,Tuna, tilapia and flounder, I also like eggs, and beans, and although I love raw almonds I try to limit myself. Sadly I do like cheese (white cheeses) but I’ve heard cheese and dairy aren’t very good for you. So I am trying to wean myself off of it. The dairy I DO eat is organic. And when I have bread I stick to breads like Ezekiel bread. And it’s usually a piece every other day. Please offer suggestions if you can. I’ve even done cleanses and nothing is working. What’s wrong with me? ~Rachel
Answer
When it comes to dietary fiber, there are two types, soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber is fermented by gut bacteria resulting in the production of butyric acid. The cells which line our intestines, colonocytes, use butyric acid as a healthy energy source. Soluble fiber serves as a beneficial prebiotic; food that stimulates the activity of healthy bacteria growth in the digestive system.
Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, cannot be processed nor digested, and instead simply bulks the volume of the stool. This type of fiber is found in greatest amounts in cereal grains, brans and vegetables. There is nothing inherently healthy or beneficial with bulking up the bowels with insoluble fiber.
I don't think anything is wrong with you, but instead, perhaps, you are consuming a large amount of insoluble fiber.
Recommended Reading: Does Meat Rot in Your Colon? & Myths and Truths About Fiber
