Introduction to Insulin, Insulin Resistance (IR) and Metabolic Syndrome

By Catherine Haug; Jan-Feb 2007, updated in Aug 2007, and moved/updated to Cat’s Kitchen on Mar 30, 2021. [note: red text indicates updates/changes yet to be made]

See Diet and Health Menu under “Insulin Resistance, and Metabolic Syndrome” for list of my other articles about Insulin Resistance.

Insulin is an important, ancient hormone; it:

  • signals the processes that move glucose into cells for energy production;
  • causes any excess sugar to be stored in adipose (fat) cells as fat;
  • suppresses glucagons and growth hormones, which regulate the burning of fat (and stored fat) and rate of muscle development, respectively.

Thus insulin acts as a double-edged sword in response to excess dietary carbs:  insulin promotes storage of the excess carbohydrates as body fat, and then wards off the body’s ability to lose that fat. (7) For more, read on … 

Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Insulin Resistance and the Leptin Connection

This article, originally written in Aug 2007 and updated 4/1/21, has been moved from my old iWeb site; it is my intent to move all my remaining insulin resistance articles; see Diet and Health Menuunder “Insulin” for list of these articles about Insulin Resistance.

Briefly, Insulin Resistance (IR) is a malfunctioning of insulin receptors on cell walls, and is the precursor to Type-2 Diabetes. Leptin is an important hormone that plays a role in reversing IR.

Continue reading

Posted in Health, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Important nutrients, supplements: we may not get enough

By Cat, Jan 14, 2021; updated Jun 17, 2022

Back in 2021, I received an article from Ocean Robbins, on important nutrients of which we may not get enough. He opens his discussion with the following:

“A predominantly plant-based diet can be a nutrient powerhouse. Filling your plate with a wide array of nutrients can help protect you against illnesses like cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, dementia, and many other health issues.

But even the healthiest plant-based diets — and non-plant-based diets, for that matter — are often missing a few key nutrients. Nutrients that your brain and body need in order to thrive.”

See below for his list of nutrients that are hard to get enough from foods – especially for vegans –  and why they are important.

In 2022, I added a related list from a Dr. Osborne email, of “Supplements to Support the Immune System” (all of which I’ve been taking for several years, and I must admit I have a pretty strong immune system! as a result).

See also:  1. Diet and Health Menu; 2. Vitamins: Intro; 3. Minerals (About); 4. About Fats, an Introduction; 5. Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA Continue reading

Posted in Diet, Health | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

BioSil and PectaSol-C Modified Citrus Pectin for heavy metal detox

By Cat, originally Feb 2019; moved and updated here, Jan 2021

I’ve moved this from my original article Detox from Heavy Metals, because I plan to try this in the new year (2021), and will likely add to it.  It is originally from Wellness Mama (1), which I have transcribed in its entirety as a 6-page pdf: HowDetoxHeavyMetals-WellnessMama (pdf). The article provides details on how to take these supplements. See also Travis Wade Fitness article (2), which includes info on dosing.

This method also requires two natural supplements:

  • BioSil to mobilize the toxic metals, and  BioSil is a form of silicon found in foods such as brown rice, rolled oats, soybeans, onions, pumpkins, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, and alfalfa (4). See iHerb code NFS-39186 or 39183 (120 or 60 caps),  or Amazon (ASIN B004KU8H56); take 1 capsule/day (7); about $50 for 120 capsules (120 days at recommended detox dosage); 
  • PectaSol-C to bind (chelate) and eliminate the heavy metals (from EcoNugenics, to bind and eliminate): see iHerb code ECN-00012 or Amazon (ASIN B00YJJDTPG). It is a natural product from the pith of citrus fruit peels (5).

Wellness Mama (1) warns: “This is a two-part recommendation; don’t take one without the other.” This is because one ‘mobilizes’ the heavy metals (pulls them out of the tissue where they hide); and the other ‘binds and eliminates’ them.” Unfortunately, she doesn’t provide the order in which these should be taken, but as for chlorella/cilantro combo, take the one that binds and eliminates first (PectaSol-C), and the one that mobilizes them second (BioSil).

You must take both supplements for an effective detox. If you only do the first (the mobilizer), the metals will circulate through your blood causing even more harm. If you only do the second (the binder), the metals will not be available to bind and eliminate. 

She recommends the following brands and dosage (but you can certainly use other respected brands):

  • BioSil (from Natural Factors (4), to mobilize): see iHerb code NFS-39186 or 39183 (120 or 60 caps),  or Amazon (ASIN B004KU8H56); take 1 capsule/day (7); about $50 for 120 capsules (120 days at recommended detox dosage);
  • PectaSol-C (from EcoNugenics (5), to bind and eliminate): see iHerb code ECN-00012 or Amazon (ASIN B00YJJDTPG); take 5 grams or more/day (7); about $42 for 150g or $97 for 454g (30/90 days respectively, at recommended detox dosage). Note: it doesn’t bind essential minerals (see below).

It may also be helpful to take butyric acid (Tributrin, Butyrex or Butyrate; see Mercola’s protocol (6) cited in my article Chlorella & Cilantro Heavy Metal Detox Protocols). I take ButyCaps, which is a natural form of tributrin.

References:

  1. Wellness Mama: wellnessmama.com/302581/detox-heavy-metals/
  2. Travis Wade Fitness: traviswadefitness.com/2016/04/11/2016-4-11-heavy-metal-detoxification/  (Travis reposted the article 1/12/21 using same url as original post) 
  3. wrinkle-free-skin-tips.com/biosil-side-effects-reviews.html
  4. naturalfactors.com/en-us/specialty-lines/biosil-en-us/
  5. econugenics.com/products/pectasol-powder
  6. mercola.com/article/mercury/detox_protocol.htm (note his articles may have been removed from his site)
  7. About Zeta-aid: customers.hbci.com/~wenonah/new/mcdaniel.htm
  8.  

Posted in Natural Treatments | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Lutefisk

Posted on by Cat; updated 12/24/20 because original was broken

By Cat, Sept 2007 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

Lutefisk, cooked

 This is a staple for my annual Christmas Eve dinner, but for me, lutefisk season begins earlier in the fall, on the Saturday closest to Armistice or Veteran’s Day (Nov 11), in the basement of Bethany Lutheran Church, Bigfork MT, for their annual Lutefisk dinner. The original founders of the church were of Norwegian, Swedish and Danish stock, so the dinner includes Norwegian-style lutefisk, Swedish meatballs, and Danish ham, along with plenty of side dishes, condiments, and Scandinavian cookies.

Sadly, the church discontinued the Lutefisk Dinner beginning in 2022, mainly because most of the members are too old to work at the dinner. So I now do my own Lutefisk Dinner at home, beginning Saturday 11/12/22.

“Lutefisk” means “lye fish” in Norwegian and Swedish, meaning that the fish is brined in a type of lye (a safe lye):

  • Ancient Norwegian methods use a less destructive type of lye, called magnesium hydroxide (from the bark of a specific type of tree or from the shells of certain seafood); this type does not break down the proteins in the fish meat, so that it remains flaky and delicious. Some current brands, such as Poulsbo (3) and Norskstar (2) use this method and I highly recommend it.
  • More modern American brands such as Olsen’s in Minnesota (4), use a destructive type of lye, called sodium hydroxide. That type of lye breaks down the proteins in the fish meat, so when it is cooked, it turns into a jellied goo.
  • However both methods produce a strong scent that discusses many people; but for me it is a sign for “welcome to the holiday season!”

My friend Terry calls this dish “Ludicrous,” in jest.  And if you ever had the American version (as from Olsen’s), you probably thought it was ludicrous too.

Norwegian lutefisk is traditionally served with lots of melted butter; many Swedes serve it with a creamy mustard sauce (see link below); either way, it is poured over the fish. Common accompaniments are: lefse (and butter), boiled or mashed potatoes (and butter), greens (I like peas and carrots), pickled beets, and lingonberry or cranberry sauce.

See also: 1. Mustard Cream Sauce2. Lefse 3. Cat’s Christmas Menu and Preparation Schedule Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Pecans

Butternut squash

By Catherine Haug, Dec 4, 2020; image, right, from Wikimedia CommonsBy Catherine Haug, Dec 4, 2020

I’m getting quite a collection of squash soup recipes, but this one sounds just too good to pass up. Especially because it uses Honeycrisp (or Gala) apples, and I have a Honeycrisp tree. And my favorite nuts: pecans!

See also: 1. Soups & Stocks Menu Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Squash and Leek Soup, with Smoked Salmon

Butternut squash

By Cat, Nov 2020 (photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

In fall/winter, I love to make hot soups, and squash soup is one of my favs. I just found this one today in our local Daily Inter Lake newspaper (originally from the Chicago Tribune). The original uses sweeter-types of squash such as honey-nut, butternut or pumpkin, with leeks, sweet onion, garlic, red chili pepper, chicken or other broth/stock, heavy cream, and accented with smoked turkey. I’m not a big fan of turkey, but I like the idea of some kind of smoked meat; the first that came to mind is smoked salmon.

I tested the recipe 11/13/20, and declared it delicious (see testing near bottom of page). I really think using smoked salmon instead of smoked turkey was an excellent choice. Several of my friends sampled it and thought it delicious too, especially with the smoked salmon.

See also: 1. Soups and Stocks; 2. Winter Squash (About) 3. Winter Squash: How to Tell When It’s Ripe; 4. Hot- or Cold-Smoked Salmon (About) 5. Herbs and Spices (About) Menu Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Herbs & Spices: Curries, v3

Cat’s spice rack

By Cat, Dec 8, 2017, a redo of Aug 2007 posting  (Photo, right, by Cat; photo below from Wikimedia Commons) 

NOTE: This posting is a redo to fix an error. See also the redo for “Blends.”

“Curry” gets its name from the curry tree, native to India and Sri Lanka. It can be used alone, or more typically mixed with other spices. In India, these mixes are ground right before using, to provide maximum health and flavor benefits, as the spices used in curries have amazing anti-inflammatory (e.g., turmeric) and anti-oxidant activity (e.g., cinnamon, garlic and rosemary). see GreenMedInfo articles (24) for more on this.

Curry leaves & fruits

For ground spices, I highly recommend grinding your own for each recipe, because they lose much of their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity with time, once they are ground. This practice is dominant in East-Indian kitchens; I use my Revel electric spice grinder (made in India), as in photo, below, from Amazon.

Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Salmon and White Wine

By Cat, August 5, 2020 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

Chinook Salmon

Chinook Salmon

I was intrigued by a White Wine-Poached Salmon recipe by Linda Gassenheimer in today’s Daily Inter Lake (originally from the Tribune News Service (1)). When I searched the internet for the recipe, the first one that came up was “Salmon gets fresh flavor from lemon, garlic,” which is served with pasta (from the Tribune News Service on Jan 20, 2017).

The White Wine-Poached Salmon recipe came up as a recipe originally from her book, Delicious One-Pot Dishes, and reprinted by the Tribune News Service: Diabetes Quick Fix.

So I include my adaptation of both her recipes, here since they both include salmon and white wine. I’ve not yet tested either recipe.

Continue reading

Posted in Alcohol, Baked, Citrus, Fish, Herbs, olive oil, Pastry, Seared | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Grilled Chicken with Gochujang Glaze

BBQ Chicken on Grill

by Catherine Haug, August 2020 (image, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

Gochujang Glazed Grilled Chicken recipe in our local Daily Inter Lake newspaper (originally from the LA Times (2)) got my attention because of the gorgeous photo that looks like it was grilled with BBQ Sauce (similar to the photo, right), and because I’d never heard of gochujang sauce and was intrigued.

I am not familiar with gochujang sauce; All Recipes (3) refers to it as “Korean chile paste;” Yummly (4) refers to it as “red pepper paste.”

I also found the introductory information that accompanied the recipe (2) helpful, and I highly recommend reading that before giving it a try. However, that info does not include brining the chicken; instead, “you season the chicken [pieces] all over with salt and pepper, then turn to evenly coat in the marinade, while massaging the mix into the meat. Let stand while the grill heats, turning occasionally.

I’ve not yet tested this glazed chicken, nor gochujang sauce recipe. When I do test it, I will brine it before marinating and grilling the chicken pieces. Brining helps the meat to retain moisture, especially for breast meat. Of course, you can skip that and simply salt the chicken as in the original recipe, but it may lose some of its moisture.

Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment