Eggplant Casserole Healthy Whole Food Recipe
(can be adapted to a Gluten-Free Diet, excellent Vegetarian recipe)

Eggplant Casserole Healthy Vegetarian Recipe

Ingredients: 
3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
2 eggs
4 cups bread crumbs (make your own from whole grain bread or from gluten-free bread)
6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
1 package (16 ounce) low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Instructions:
Also see Diana Walker’s Raw Food Health Benefits

Place eggs into small bowl and beat.  Place multi-grain bread crumbs in a separate bowl.  (use gluten-free bread if you are on a gluten-free diet) Take sliced eggplant and dip into egg, coating completely. Place slices in bread crumbs covering entire slice.  Place slices on cookie sheet being sure not to layer slices.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 7 minutes then flip slices and continue baking for 5 minutes more.  Remove eggplant from oven. In a large oven safe dish spread enough spaghetti sauce to cover bottom of pan.  Put eggplant slices in a single layer over sauce.  Cover with cheeses.  Continue to layer until all the sauce and eggplant have been used.  Sprinkle basil over top of casserole.  Return to oven and bake 30 minutes or until browned.

Wishing you Freedom from Junk Food Cravings!
Diana Walker, Cravings Coach

Healthy Whole Food Recipe Carrot Salad

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups grated carrots
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 tablespoon raisins

Instructions:
In large bowl combine grated carrots, raisins, chopped dill and chopped scallions.  In separate bowl mix together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and pepper.  Pour liquid over carrot mixture.  With two forks toss carrot mixture being sure to coat well.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Wishing You Vibrant Health and Freedom From Cravings for Junk Food!
Diana Walker, Cravings Coach

There are several reasons why water is the perfect thing to reach for when you are feeling the need to snack. The first is purely because water is something that will fill your stomach. When you are feeling hungry, even if you know that you are not, you can use water to make you feel full. Drinking water before and after a meal can help you eat less. You’ll also avoid those hunger “crashes” that make you reach for the nearest candy bar.

Water also helps reduce cravings at the molecular level. Your entire body needs water in order to function.  Proper water consumption will ensure that your body has the hydration that it needs to metabolize your food. Without the presence of enough water, your body will not be able to get the nutrients from the food that you eat.  Many food cravings are based on your body’s need for specific nutrients.  If you don’t have enough water in your body, you’ll continue getting cravings for food no matter how much you eat.  Your body won’t be able to process the food you are eating effectively enough to be helpful.

Water is essential to using fat properly.  When your body isn’t processing fat the way that it should it only has one other option: storage. The more fat you have, the more food your body needs to maintain it’s “set point” weight, and anything under that means that you’ll be craving food. In order to curb your cravings, you need to turn your body into a fat burning machine and that’s just not possible without proper water intake.

Your liver is one of your main fat burning organs, when it is able to do its job properly. But if you don’t have enough water, it starts a chain reaction of events that inhibit the liver and your fat burning potential. Your intake of water makes your kidneys work properly, but if you are dehydrated they will suffer. The kidneys will rely on your liver more heavily, which means that the liver can’t do everything that it is supposed to – namely burn fat! When you drink enough water, you are keeping your kidneys active and making it easy for your liver to burn fat.

Water also plays an important role in using another helpful “curb your cravings” ally: fiber. You may have read that in order to reduce your cravings and lose weight, you need to eat a lot of fiber rich foods. Fiber is very important, but only if it is activated in your body. If you don’t drink enough water, your fiber intake won’t have as much impact. Fiber only works for you when it is combined with water. It gives you that “full” feeling and helps flush toxins from your body only when it absorbs the water that is in your body. If there isn’t enough water to spare, your body won’t allow absorption, and the fiber will remain useless.

Diana Walker, Cravings Coach, CEO, Diana’s Healthy Lifestyles

In fact, there are certain fats called “Essential Fatty Acids” that play an important role in your body’s functioning. These fats are so important that you should take extra steps to get them into your daily diet. These essential fats are found in polyunsaturated fats.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are necessary fats that your body can’t make on its own. They must be part of your diet. You may have heard of Omega-9s. These are not “essential” like the Omega-3 and Omega-6, and are thought of as “good” fatty acids.

Benefits of Essential Fatty Acids

EFAs help support your cardiovascular, reproductive, immune and nervous systems. You need them to help manufacture and repair cell membranes. They help your cells get the most out of the foods that you eat and get rid of the chemicals and toxins that are in your body.

What Foods Contain Omega-3s?

Omega-3 is also known as Alpha-Linolenic Acid (LNA).

Omega-3 is found in oily fish, such as salmon, herring, sardines, trout, tuna, and rainbow trout.
Other sources include canola oil, flaxseeds, and hempseeds.
You can also find Omega-3 EFAs in dark green vegetables like broccoli, kale, seaweed and spinach.

What Foods Contain Omega-6s?

Omega-6 is also known as Linoleic Acid (LA).

Omega-6 is found in safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, sesame oil, hemp oil, pumpkin oil, soybean oil and walnut oil.

Omega-6 May be in our Diets in Excess

Because so much oil is used in the North American diet – you may have an excess of Omega-6 in your diet. The ideal ratio of EFA Omega-3 to Omega-6 is 3:1. In other words, you should have 3 times as much Omega-3 as Omega-6.

Most people actually need to reduce their Omega-6 and increase their Omega-3 intake.

In all cases, you should keep your fat (and even Essential Fatty Acids) – to less than 25% of your daily dietary intake.

Omega-3 and Weight Loss

Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial because of the role they play in weight loss.

They help regulate your blood sugar levels, and help with cravings and excess hunger. This could contribute to lowering your risk of diabetes and obesity.

A recent study published in the International Journal of Obesity showed a link between Omega 3 fish oil and the number of calories burned in a day. The study compared the calories burned by a control group versus the calories burned by test subjects who received 1.8 grams of fish oil supplements per day.

The results showed that the test group burned 26% more calories each day. The researchers also found that the group that took the supplements experienced 50% lower insulin levels. Not only were they burning more calories, but also their bodies were producing less fat due to the fish oil. Insulin increases the activity of enzymes that store fat. Less insulin means less fat storing activity and less weight gained.

Omega-3 Supplements

Taking Omega-3 fish oil capsules is a great way to get the benefits of fish oil without eating fish. You can also use one tablespoon per day of flaxseed oil to get your daily dose of Omega-3. Adult men need roughly 1600 mg of Omega 3 fatty acids per day. Women need at least 1100 mg per day. If you’re a woman who is pregnant or breastfeeding, you should increase your daily intake to 1500 mg.

While excess consumption of other types of fat can lead to obesity, heart disease and high cholesterol, essential fatty acids like Omega 3 and Omega 6 can improve your health and well being.

Very interesting point about how to curb cravings. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge. Cucumbers can be used  for quick healthy snacks.

As Diana Walker, Cravings Coach – If you can utilize more healthy whole foods in your diet, I know that you can curb cravings for sugar and curb cravings for junk food.

The Amazing Cucumber – I personally love cucumbers.  I remember having “cucumber sandwiches” – well, little tiny rounds of cucumber on delicate bread – in London England – when I lived there in my 20s.  I felt so elegant!


I would suggest being sure to purchase organic cucumbers, if possible.  Eat them as they are or use in whole food recipes. Cucumbers could help to stop sugar cravings and junk food cravings.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber.  Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower?  Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.
4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds?  Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long.  The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
5. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa?  Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.
6. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel?  Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won’t leave streaks and won’t harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.

Wishing you Vibrant Health and Freedom from Cravings!

Diana Walker, Cravings Coach,

Author, Craving Secrets book

Eating More Green Vegetables

While the term “living green” is synonymous with being eco-friendly it also describes the kind of food we should all be eating more of for improved health.

This isn’t news for most people.  Yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that less than one-third of American adults eat the amount of fruits and vegetables the government recommends.


What makes this even more troubling is the fact one of the leading killers of Americans is colon cancer.  According to the American Institute of Cancer Research up to 75% of cases of colon cancer could be prevented by diet.  One of the best ways to arm ourselves in the fight against cancer, especially colorectal cancer, is to eat foods rich in folic acid and fiber.  Green leafy vegetables fit the bill for this requirement.

Great Recipes here:  Raw Recipes – for Kids (but adults love them too!)

The challenge for many people is to identify enough vegetable varieties and come up with enough recipes that will be tasty and satisfying.  Some great leafy vegetables include spinach, turnip greens, beet greens, kale, collard greens and lettuces (Romaine, Boston, Arugula and many other tasty varieties).

For those of you looking for some interesting and tasty meal suggestions for inspiration consider the following less known varieties and food preparation ideas.

Kale is a beautiful leafy vegetable that is from the same family of vegetables as cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts.  It has a pungent flavor that is great eaten on its own or mixed with other vegetables.  Raw kale is delicious with a bit of olive oil, red wine vinegar and freshly ground pepper.

If you’re not from the south then you may not be as familiar with collard greens.  Just ask for insight on this vegetable from someone who knows about it and you’ll likely get an enthusiastic response.  Collard greens have a unique smoky flavor that comes alive when lightly steamed with olive oil, onion, garlic and lemon and served as part of a main dish.

Great Recipes here:  Raw Recipes – for Kids (but adults love them too!)

Much more familiar to most people is spinach. Raw spinach is a nutritional superstar!  It’s got twice as much fiber as other greens and is loaded with vitamins and minerals.  To make your spinach a little more interesting add your favorite healthy dressing. Consider mixing together olive oil, Dijon mustard, sea salt, ground pepper, lemon juice and pressed garlic to make your own delicious Cesar dressing.  It will provide one of the tastiest toppings for your spinach salad.  Sprinkle in any of your favorite vegetables like red peppers or even mix in flavorful lettuce like Arugula and you’ve got a delicious meal.

Since the Dijon mustard in your spinach Caesar salad will provide tremendous flavor why not look to the plant from which mustard originates. Mustard greens are very tasty and have an interesting peppery flavor.  It’s no wonder their seeds have such a kick to them!  Mustard seeds are of course used to make delicious Dijon mustard.  To add this tasty element to your own recipes simply sauté mustard seeds and sprinkle then on casseroles, pasta salad and even sweet potatoes. The sharp flavor will add an interesting bite to your meal.


Enjoy Your Greens!!
Diana Walker, Cravings Coach
CEO, Diana’s Healthy Lifestyles

Start Your Kids Eating Raw Foods
with Raw Recipes for Kids

Most people who decide to become a “raw foodist” try to ensure that at least 75% of their diet consists of raw, uncooked and unprocessed foods and 25% or less cooked food. A raw foodist typically adheres to this 75/25 breakdown with relative gusto because the belief is that improved health is linked to greater consumption of raw foods.


The old adage “you are what you eat” has taken on renewed significance with the raw food movement.

Raw Food Diet Health Benefits

Those who eat a raw food diet believe that eating food that is raw or alive helps to create energy in the person digesting this food, and creating other health benefits .  Consuming cooked or “dead” food offers less opportunity for the body to absorb vital nutrients and enzymes that can help the body to digest food.

Researchers have confirmed that food cooked above a certain temperature (generally above 112º F) kills enzymes that can help the body with digestion. As a consequence, raw foodists believe eating raw food helps to increase a person’s energy levels and natural vitality.

Think about a plant sprout and the energy within a seed that causes that sprout to erupt. That growth is caused by living enzymes in that seed. Only raw food has functional live enzymes like that found in a seed. To eat food that can release that kind of energy is a powerful concept that many say passes on significant health benefits including improved digestion, healthier weight levels, and reduced risk of heart disease.

Raw Food Recipes Is a raw food diet sustainable? I agree with many health advocates that it is more difficult to maintain a raw food diet without some variety or offerings from the cooked food group. Meat, eggs, fish and cheese are often difficult dietary items to drop especially when many of these food groups contain significant nutritional value even in their cooked form. For this reason, I and many raw foodists include a small percentage of cooked food in our diet. A typical raw foodists’ diet may, therefore, include a selection of raw fruits, vegetables, beans, seaweed, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, meat, and un-pasteurized dairy products (e.g., yogurt and raw milk).

What also makes this “lifestyle” so appealing is that so many of the food choices available are already widely known to have significant health benefits. For instance, many raw foodists include chocolate beans in their diet, and these beans are believed to foster a feeling of wellness while suppressing appetite-no surprise there. A little less familiar food item that is gaining great popularity in the raw foodist community is algae. Algae is rich in minerals, vitamins and a substance that many believe removes toxins from the body.

The nature and degree of health benefits may vary between individuals but there is little to dispute about the attributes of the foods included in a raw food diet. By and large raw food diets contain fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet.

While some argue that human beings have been cooking for hundreds of thousands of years and our bodies have adapted to the digestive challenges of cooked food, there is consensus that fresh fruits and vegetables provide necessary fiber that ultimately helps the body to better absorb key nutrients in our food.

Some interesting cooking techniques that can be incorporated to make a raw food diet interesting include juicing fruits and vegetables and blending or pureeing vegetables and herbs to create interesting flavors and recipes.

One of the best “byproducts” of raw foodism is that it’s an environmentally friendly lifestyle. There is far less wrapping and packaging involved in the transport and retail of fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts than processed foods. Once raw foods are consumed, peels and seeds can go into the compost or can be used in other ways.

Diana Walker, Cravings Coach, CEO, Diana’s Healthy Lifestyles

Recommended Raw Foods:
The Sunrider whole foods are not raw – but are created in a way that keeps them as “Whole Foods”, and as close to nature as possible.  Many raw foodists enjoy the Sunrider whole foods on a daily basis.
Dr. Tei Fu Chen, founder of Sunrider International, takes great care in keeping the nutritional value intact, making the exclusive formulas extremely nutritious.
Check out –

1.    Diana Walker Sunrider Whole Foods site

2.    My sons Jesse Walker and Gabe Walker talking about their Experience with Raw Foods Whole Foods

3.    How damaging Microwaving is to foods Raw Foods Chart and Microwaving

ACID-ALKALINE BALANCE

Balance is an important concept in our lives especially in the way we eat.

As we learn more about the effects of the foods we’ve grown to love we thankfully also learn how to take steps to stop the harm and to keep our bodies in a healthy state of balance. Some foods digested by our bodies create acid and others create alkaline. Both substances are needed for health but an Acid-Alkaline imbalance can cause illness.

The whole notion of this Acid-Alkaline imbalance is not new.  Dr. William Howard Hay first introduced this concept in his 1933 publication “A New Health Era.” In that work he argued that there is one basic cause for health problems and that is the wrong chemical condition in the body.  Such a condition, he argued, causes self-poisoning through acid accumulation in the body.

Today we consider the pH balance in the body as one of the indicators that can be used to determine a person’s degree of health.  The term pH stands for “potential hydrogen” and the pH level is an indication of the level of alkaline or acidity in your body.  A measurement between 1.0 and 6.9 is considered acidic, 7.0 is neutral and 7.1 to 14.0 is alkaline.  A low pH number indicates greater acidity in the body and a higher pH number indicates greater alkalinity.

One of the easiest ways to test the body’s pH level is to use pH test strips.  You can get pH paper (also called hydrazine paper) in most drug stores.

For people with normal pH levels (between 7.35 and 7.45) the blood is slightly alkaline.  Acid-Alkaline diet advocates believe that our diet should reflect this pH level and be slightly alkaline.  Diets, therefore, that include a significant number of acid-producing foods may disrupt the Acid-Alkaline balance.  As the body tries to restore equilibrium, essential minerals can be lost in the process and they include potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium.

DIANA WALKER PODCASTS ON ACID-ALKALINE BALANCE
(you can listen right here on your computer or you can download the MP3s to listen later)

Acid-Alkaline Balance – Show #2

Acid-Alkaline Balance – Show #3

Today health specialists believe that not only can various foods contribute to the acidifying of body fluids but the way we live has a factor to play as well. It is a commonly held notion by many health experts that allergic reactions and other forms of stress can produce acids in the body.

So what can we do to achieve more balance in our bodies?  Depending on the acidity level in your body it is recommended that certain “alkalizing” foods be chosen to counter this acidity.  Most vegetables and fruits alkalize, as do soybeans, organic plain yogurt, buckwheat, quinoa and almonds.

Foods that contribute towards high acidity levels in the body include meats, rice, pastas, cheeses, coffee, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, condiments, and most sweeteners, except stevia and unpasteurized honey.

By adopting a diet that shifts away from acid-producing foods, many believe numerous health ailments can be addressed with some success including lethargy; nasal congestion, anxiety and headaches.

Before starting any new diet it is a good idea to discuss your plan with your health care specialist to ensure that your particular nutritional and therapeutic needs are being addressed in the healthiest and safest way possible.

Relaxation and meditation have two important roles when it comes to curbing cravings. The first is biological. Recent studies have shown that there is a strong link between nutrient absorption and your stress levels while you are eating.

For decades leading diet doctors have tried to figure out why people in other countries like France and Italy can eat seemingly “bad” foods and still stay thin. It turns out that your emotional state can effect how your body absorbs nutrients. Eating in a relaxed, enjoyable environment allows you to get what you need out of your food.

One of the major reasons you experience cravings is because your body isn’t properly using the nutrients that it is receiving. If eating in front of the tv, eating while you’re stressed or eating quickly means that you’ll have more cravings, shouldn’t you take steps to slow down and relax while you’re eating?

Eating in a more relaxed manner may take some getting used to, but the results will be well worth it. By incorporating relaxation and even a bit of meditation, you’ll be able to use your food more efficiently and reduce your cravings. You can start by having real “sit down” meals. When you take the time to relax while you are eating, you’ll be able to really enjoy your food and digest it as well.

When you eat a meal or a snack, make sure to take your time and relax. Enjoy your meal as you are eating it, and don’t rush through the process. Remaining relaxed through the meal is very important to digestion. If you eat on the run or when you’re feeling sad, angry or stressed, you’ll end up having food cravings shortly afterwards.

Relaxation can also have an effect on your ability to deal with cravings as well. Often times, cravings are just a result of being bored or being stressed out. You can use meditation and other relaxation techniques to help you curb cravings.

If you’ve never meditated before it may seem intimidating. Really it’s nothing more than just sitting in a quiet spot and focusing your attention on something fixed. Some people try to think of one word like “peace,” and others try to clear their mind entirely. It’s up to you to find what’s most pleasing and relaxing for you. The point is to find a method that helps you get your mind off of food and on to what is really important, your relaxation.

Meditation is associated with Yoga, which I practiced for several years in the 1970s. I got away from it for about 30 years, and then started to practice yoga again recently. I love yoga, and it helps to relax you. Yoga studios and online help are available.

Meditation, no matter what form it takes, is a terrific substitute for succumbing to cravings. Any steps you take toward relaxation will help you reduce your cravings and fulfill your weight loss or eating better plans.

Diana Walker, Cravings Coach, CEO, Diana’s Healthy Lifestyles

Glycemic is the concentration of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. In order for the body to function normally a fixed range of glycemia (70 to 100mg) is required. The Glycemic Index (called GI Index) is a method that ranks foods based on how fast they raise glycemia.

There is typically a range of low (55 or less), medium (56-69), and high (70-99) Glycemic Index foods. The problem with most people is that they tend towards the high end of the glycemic index.

A Low Glycemic Index diet is a good idea for many reasons.

1. Helps Weight Loss

Eating low Glycemic foods helps to lose and control weight. When the higher Glycemic foods are consumed the extra glucose is stored as fat. So low Glycemic foods help to keep that glucose balance in your body, normally keeping you from gaining weight.

2. Improves Diabetes Control

If you are a diabetic then eating low Glycemic foods is a good idea. A low Glycemic diet increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin and improves diabetes control.

3. Reduces Health Risks

The risk of heart disease and high cholesterol are reduced. When you consume high Glycemic foods which include fried foods, white bread, doughnuts, baked potatoes, carbonated beverages, and beer, you are putting your body at a greater risk of heart attack and stroke.

4. Provides Slow, Even Energy

Low Glycemic foods release their energy slowly to the body. This helps the body to have a more concise and constant supply of energy. This in turn prevents drastic fluctuation in blood-glucose levels helping you to avoid feeling of fatigue, fogginess, and instability.

5. Balances Your Appetite

You can lose weight and have a lower BMI eating low glycemic foods. People who eat a greater amount of high glycemic index foods on average have greater levels or body fat. Lower Glycemic Index foods (under 55) metabolize slower and keeps your appetite balanced. If your appetite is balanced you won’t eat a much and you will lose weight.

The foods you should focus on to maintain a low glycemic number include: kidney beans, whole wheat pasta, tofu, soy milk, plain yogurt, apples, pears, sweet potatoes, bean sprouts, and many other fruits and vegetables.

The medium glycemic index foods include: bananas, pineapples, popcorn, and oatmeal. These foods are not as bad as the high GI foods and are a better choice when you can’t get to the low GI foods.

As mentioned earlier, high GI foods include most fried foods, pitas, doughnuts, soda crackers, baked potatoes and even watermelon.

The consumption of lower Glycemic Index foods is a wise way to watch your weight, keep blood pressure and cholesterol levesl down, keep up your energy level so that you can work more effectively through the day and help you maintain a stronger healthier life. The fact that they are mostly whole foods makes them readily available and very easy to prepare and add to your daily diet.

Health is not a joke and every precaution should be taken to ensure that your health is as good as it can possibly be. With research, a properly balanced diet that includes foods low on the GI food list, and other smart eating tactics, you can be a healthier and happier you.

Diana Walker, Cravings Coach
CEO, Diana’s Healthy Lifestyles