Triglycerides and Muffins

Hey all! I posted a little while back about Jon's blood lipid results and how much they've improved from August 2010 to August 2011. Well I'm back with more news. He recently had a biophysical profile done for our health insurance (We save $$ the healthier we are. Great concept!) We just got those results back and I wanted to share. Here are the results of his blood panels drawn on 8/10, 8/11, and 10/11 respectively:

Cholesterol: 188, 183, 176
Triglycerides: 203, 145, 73!!! (blood fat that my indicate risk for heart disease. 0-149 is normal)
HDL: 45, 45, 50 - (this is the "good" cholesterol you want to go up)
LDL: 121, 109, 108 (the lower the better)
Cholesterol/HDL Ratio: 4.2, 4.1, 3.5 (the lower it is, the lower the risk for heart disease)

In addition, his weight and BMI have plummeted.  The only lifestyle change in this time period is that four months ago, we stopped eating grains, legumes, soy and vegetable oils.  It really makes you pause and think. We're bombarded by media and commericials shouting: "Whole Grains Lower Your Risk for Heart Disease" and "Whole Grains Lower Cholesterol! Eat your Cheerios!" and "Whole Grain Pasta is Best!" as well as "Eat Less Meat!"  Well we ate a heck of a lot of whole grains before this diet. I mean a TON of whole grains - probably 60-75% of our diets were so-called "healthy" grains. We also didn't eat too much meat. But we remove grains and replace them with truck loads of lots of produce, more meats (even non-lean meats), nuts, and oils and in turn see cold, hard numbers that more than suggest that the "healthy" whole grains weren't making us healthy.

I know, I know. This goes against everything we've ever been told. But I ask, who told us? The cereal box in aisle 6? The TV commerical with the paid actors who look oh so happy? The USDA - which continually allows "acceptable levels" of poisons into our food supply? It's a really important question to ask.

The tons of research I've done - and reported on this blog - was enough for me to switch my family's food choices completely. But these continued good blood test and BP results give me the extra umph to keep on going - not only for him, but for all of us. Even if you don't have elevated lipids, BP, etc., how can you argue that eating whole foods is not the absolute best way to ensure great health? As I've written, primal/paleo eating has proven to reduce the odds of coming down with multiple modern-day diseases from diabetes to cancer and everything in between. Now we're seeing undeniable medical evidence in our own home that it does in fact improve health. It makes me excited for all of the healthy changes we can't test for, but are occurring within each one of our cells every single day. 

I'll finish today's post with a fun fall recipe: Primal Pumpkin Muffins. They're quick, easy, and make the house smell great. The recipe below makes enough for us for three breakfasts. I freeze them and heat them up when needed. I serve them warm with butter along side a coconut milk smoothie for breakfast for the gang at least once a week. They're full, happy, and off to a great start for the day!

Have fun and eat clean!

PRIMAL PUMPKIN MUFFINS - Makes approx. 18 muffins

3 cups almond flour/meal (either flour or meal work)
1.5 tsp gluten free baking powder
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 15 oz. can of canned pumpkin
4 tsp almond butter 
6 large eggs
1/2 cup honey
Preheat to 350.
Mix all dry ingredients.
Mix all wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
Pour into greased muffin tins.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Top with a pat of butter and enjoy! Viola!

Primal Pumpkin Muffins - perfect for a fall morning (Or afternoon. Or evening.)