Rejuvalife Vitality Institute
Beverly Hills CA
Being the food nut that I am, when I read Dr. Berger’s blog about grilling red meat, my heart just dropped.
This is definitely controversial (for me, at least) because we’ve heard for so many years that grilling especially is a healthier method of cooking rather than frying, for example. The problem with grilling and BBQ-ing is that most people figure “well done” means burning your steak down to a crisp. By charring and burning the meat, you’re essentially going to end up eating charcoal!
Well, I know how much we all the outdoors and grilling assorted meats (granted its freezing out now), so I dug a little deeper to give you pointers on the proper way to grill red meat.
1. Make sure the grill is hot!
a. Generally, anything (whether it’s an oven or grill) over 300°F is safe to cook meat on.
b. If you’re using a gas grill, turn it on and close the lid for about 10 minutes to burn and scrape off any remainders stuck on the grill
c. For charcoal grills, make sure all the coals are nice & red and no longer give off fire before placing the meat.
2. Meat should be seasoned and tenderized prior to grilling
a. If you’re using any oil in your seasoning, use lightly because oil will cause flare-ups and that will needlessly burn and carbonize the meat – Not Good!
3. Don’t let it get too hot
a. A higher flame means you can sear the meat and trap the juices but if it’s too high, the meat will be burned on the outside and left uncooked on the inside.
4. Remove the meat once you have it to your liking
a. Having a meat thermometer is a great tool to own in the kitchen. Using the meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the meat. Temperatures should be as follows
i. Rare: 120°F – 125°F
ii. Medium-Rare: 130°F – 135°F
iii. Medium: 140°F – 145°F
iv. Medium-Well: 150°F – 155°F
v. Well Done: 160°F+
b. If you don’t have a thermometer, press the center or thickest part of the meat with your finger. If it’s still soft and squishy, that means it’s rare and needs more time for cooking. Medium will be firm but still have its buoyancy and well done would feel very firm and not as resilient.
5. Note…
a. that the meat’s internal temperature will rise a minimum of 5°F after removing from the grill so if you want Medium steak, remove the meat off the grill when at 140°F.
b. that using a meat thermometer means you may lose some of the succulent juices when piercing the meat
I hope these tips help you grill the most succulent (and not to mention healthier & safer) of steaks!
Anoush!
~Sho
Posted 8 months, 3 weeks ago at 1:39 pm. Add a comment
…SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Aren’t “real” men supposed to love red meat? The media hypes it big time with rugged cowboys supposedly thriving on it, right? WRONG! I hate to burst your bubble but red meat, processed meats and prostate cancer go hand in hand. I’ve been following the studies and can confidently report to you today that the results are pretty conclusive. One large study involving over 17,000 men ages 50 to 71 (over 9 years) found that those men who ate the most red and processed meats had significantly elevated risk of developing prostate cancer at any stage and, particularly, advanced cancer.
RED MEAT & GRILLING/BARBEQUEING
I know you don’t want to hear it but …. The researchers found a direct link to grilling and BBQ’d red meats and prostate cancer. They believe the link involves high-heat cooking and the chemicals it produces, namely polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines known to cause cancer in animals.
Sorry guys! My mission in life is to bring you health and wellness and I’m convinced it’s not found in red and processed meats.
How about we talk about some other healthy options…
Let me hear from you!
At Rejuvalife Vitality Institute – we help change you from the inside out!
To your health,
Dr. Berger
Posted 8 months, 3 weeks ago at 5:24 pm. Add a comment
It has been a week since Thanksgiving and if you’re like me, you had enough turkey & cranberry sauce to last you until next year. And being the holiday season, there are more family gatherings and feasts ahead, which means more food, more calories and more pounds to put on – yikes!
So, to keep those pesky pounds off and make sure you fit into your little black dress or snazzy suit this New Years, why not start your days with a refreshing smoothie!
Tropical Smoothie
Pineapple and papaya are rich in antioxidants and contain digestive-system stimulating enzymes – the perfect wake-me-up to any morning.
You will need:
- 1 ripe papaya, peeled, pitted, and chopped
- 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and chopped
- 2/3 cup soy milk
- 1 & 1/4 cups soy yogurt (you can purchase this at most grocery stores or you can make it yourself by following the recipe below. If you plan to purchase, I recommend getting the “light” soygurt)
Place all the ingredients in a juicer or blender and process until smooth. Serves 2.
Soy Yogurt
Making yogurt is not exactly the easiest thing in the world but it sure is an adventure!
Live yogurt helps to repopulate the digestive system with friendly bacteria to make sure it runs smoothly. This yogurt is delicious with fresh fruit, fruit purees, or simply with honey.
You will need:
- 2 & 1/2 cups soy milk
- 4 tbsp powdered soy milk
- 1 tbsp live plain soy yogurt
1. Boil the soy milk in a pan. Leave to cool until tepid. Add the powdered soy milk and yogurt and blend with a hand whisk.
2. Rinse a vacuum flask (AKA thermos) with boiling water to sterilize it. Pour in the soy mixture, then replace the lid and keep in a warm place overnight (an airing closet is ideal).
3. Empty the flask contents into smaller pots or jars and refrigerate. Save 1 tablespoon of yogurt to use as a starter next time you make yogurt.
Serves 4.
I hope you enjoy making these recipes and don’t forget to have fun when you cook! Be creative, try new things and always remember to share with the ones you love.
Anoush! (Enjoy!)
-Sho
Rose, Sara.Detox: The Process of Cleansing and Restoration. Bath: Parragon. 2006
Posted 9 months ago at 5:06 pm. Add a comment
Hello to our dear patients and readers!
This is the first entry and beginning of our newest addition to the blog – The Sho-Stopper Recipes!
My name is Sho, the latest member of Team Rejuvalife, and I will be updating you with healthy and nutritional tips & recipes that are no doubt good for you but are easy to follow, scrumptious, and most importantly, enjoyable for you & the whole family.
My passion for cooking has long since developed when I was child and it’s all thanks to my family. My mother is always contemplating on what delicious meals she will be crafting for dinner. – I’m lucky to say that there isn’t a single food my mom has made that I didn’t enjoy. Sundays were kept for my father who, to this day, still makes his infamous all-star breakfasts and dinners that usually came hot, right off the grill.
I can go on and on and on and on about food. What can I say? I love food!
And I hope that by sharing my passion and love for food to the world, you too will be able to enjoy one of the greatest gifts we have – Eating!!!
Let’s Start Cookin’!
-Sho
Posted 9 months ago at 7:16 pm. Add a comment
The Body Mass Index can't distinguish lean body mass from fat weight, therefore very muscular people have BMI scores of the morbidly obese. (image: How Things Work 2005)
Invented in the mid 19th century, the Body Mass Index, or BMI, is currently the most widely-used diagnostic tool for gauging whether a person is at a healthy weight, under or overweight, and is reached through a calculation of height and weight measurements.
A person’s BMI is a very simple indicator of a person’s “fatness” or “thinness” that when used as designed, allows doctors to more objectively discuss weight issues with their patients. Using this calculation, doctors use an individual’s particular BMI to determine whether or not they need medical care for being over or underweight: a BMI of 18.5 to 25 usually indicates optimal weight, a BMI lower than 18.5 suggests the person is underweight, while a number above 25 may indicate the person is overweight; a BMI below 17.5 may indicate the person has anorexia nervosa or a related disorder; a number above 30 suggests the person is obese (over 40, morbidly obese).
There is some controversy over the accuracy of this measurement, as it can’t distinguish body fat from lean body mass, therefore a very muscular person will weigh more, and therefore have a higher BMI, even though he/she may really be quite lean, and many feel it is most appropriately used in the study of populations, not individuals, for that reason.
There is another method of measurement that, according to recent studies, is a more reliable indicator. Body Composition Analysis (BCA) measures four parameters of health.
The BCA for Weight Management helps us measure four parameters of health:
1. Body Hydration Status by measuring the cellular fluid.
2. Cell Health Status by measuring the lean body mass and fat mass.
3, Nutritional Status through the BIA meter. (Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzer)
4. Longevity Status by calculating various indices.
From Medical News Today:
Recent studies using similar analysis suggest that up to 30% of obese people do not in fact require medical treatment. Widespread adoption of BCA could significantly improve the targeting of limited healthcare resources in the context of one of modern society’s global killers. Thanks to advances in imaging technology, variables – such as the body’s fat proportion, location and distribution and the size of fat cells and fat droplets within these cells – can now be factored into the health risk assessment.
Coupled with a better understanding of the interrelation between genes, environment, hormone levels and metabolism, BCA gives clinicians a clearer picture of the specific health risks to an individual.
In light of the growing evidence in favour of functional BCA, the authors conclude that “the definitions of both ‘overweight’ and ‘malnutrition’ should be reconsidered” by clinicians and researchers. Evidently, size does still matter but it’s what you do with it that really counts.
One way to ensure that you are at “optimal weight” regardless of how it’s measured is to…yep, stay active, eat a healthy diet, and keep your soup clean!
Thanks for reading,
Andre Berger, M.D.
p.s. Full disclosure – we have been using the BCA for Weight Management at Rejuvalife for quite some time. Give us a call if you’re interested in being measured!
Associated posts:
Keeping Your Soup Clean: Questions and Answers About Diagnostic Testing
Obesity Shrinks Your Brain & Shortens Your Life
Insulin Resistance Improved with Exercise
Weight Loss Improves Mood in Depressed Individuals
FDA Cracking Down on Misleading Nutrition Labels
Posted 10 months, 1 week ago at 5:11 pm. 2 comments
Artificial Sweeteners are no friend to dieters.
Contrary to popular belief, replacing sugary snacks with those sweetened artificially do not help with weight loss. According to a recent study, artificial sweeteners are not helpful for losing weight because your body cannot really tell the difference.
The researcher identified specific cells which detect sugar, releasing hormones essential for its passage through the lining of the stomach and into the blood, where it is either burned off or is converted into fat.
When confronted by artificial sweeteners these cells release the same hormones, and consequently the body prepares to absorb real sugar. If you’re dieting, you may not lose any weight, and very well may gain additional pounds over time.
From the U.K. Daily Mail:
Professor Soraya Shirazi-Beechey, from the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool, found that a sweet taste receptor, present in the taste cells of the gut, allows humans and animals to detect glucose within the intestine.
Artificial sweeteners behave in a similar way to sugar however, and activate the sensors in the gut key to glucose absorption.
The receptor also detects artificial sweeteners in foods and drinks, resulting in increased intestinal intake of
dietary sugars. This could explain why artificial sweeteners are unsuccessful at helping people lose weight, and
sometimes result in weight gain.
Professor Shirazi-Beechey said: “If someone wants to lose weight, I don’t think artificial sweeteners are going to
help. “My recommendation is to eat natural foods, but to eat less of them.”
Prof Shirazi-Beechey said: “Artificial sweeteners can also activate the glucose sensor and increase the capacity of the intestine to absorb more sugar. “You drink diet cola to stay slim but the reverse is true, because the artificial sweeteners can activate the sensor, so you are taking more glucose from your diet.”
Prof Shirazi-Beechey’s research can be seen at an exhibition at the Food Museum in Switzerland. The exhibition,
called Research Food – a Dialogue, looks at food history, science and technologies.
I recommend eliminating artificial sweeteners (and other highly processed products and foods) from your diet entirely, and if you must indulge in something sweet, try Stevia, Xylitol or Lo Han. They are better natural solutions all the way around, in more ways than one!
Thanks for reading – see you after the Holiday weekend!
Andre Berger, M.D.
Posted 12 months ago at 6:18 pm. 1 comment