This past weekend, I visited Maui. I am going to dedicate my blog this week to healthy delicious Maui eats that I found on my trip! My video is about Coconut Glen’s, which is dairy-free organic coconut ice cream. It was delicious. Here are some pictures:
Shady eating area on right in PaiaEntrance to Paia ice cream truck areaFlavors of the day, pricesJabotica and salted caramel for me!
We also went to the Coconut Glen hut on the road to Hana. Unfortunately, it rained, so my pictures are not as bright:
Don’t miss the sign for Coconut Glen’s on road to Hana!Coconut Glen’s Ice Cream HutMyself inside the hutMy friend Jessica enjoying her ice cream in the hut.They take your order here…
Right next to Coconut Glen’s (on the same street) is Maka’s, which serves fabulous plant-based cuisine.
The restaurant is airy and bright with beautiful wall art:
Dessert Counter
They serve both raw and cooked food. Here is the current menu:
I had the Teri-Coco Sandwich, which was delicious!:
We took a trip to Lahaina, and checked out the Choice Health Bar, which has vegan sushi from 6-9pm Monday-Saturday:
They had the specials on a board and the standard menu (to the right):
We had the dragon roll:
And the rainbow roll:
And the local fig compote and coconut kefir yogurt:
We loved it!
My last eatery stop was at Maui Kombucha which serves kombucha that they make themselves and delicious plant-based cuisine. Here is the menu:
We sampled the kombucha, which was delicious. That’s coming from me, and I don’t normally like kombucha! I had the black mango flavor and Jessica had the ginger lime flavor.
I had the burrito bowl:
Jess had the MK Threeway:
We had a fabulous lunch there!
That’s us with a photo bomber. Check out these healthy Maui eats next time you go to Maui. Enjoy! I had a great weekend there.
I did a recent lecture for the hawaii vegetarian society which is now recorded and on youtube. It is titled “Avoid a Visit to the ER with a Healthy Vegan Diet”. The link is :
Check it out!
Synopsis: I talk about some of the common complaints I see as an Emergency Physician, and talk about how these diseases can be prevented with diet. I also talk about medication side effects. Some topics include Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. Lastly, I address constipation and afflictions that can occur as a result of constipation including hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, diverticulitis, and rectal prolapse.
I am going to address constipation in this blog, since it is easily preventable by some changes in your diet. You will see results relatively quickly when you make dietary changes. Constipation is a common problem I see in the Emergency Room. On any given day, I may see about 1-2 patients with constipation. There are probably countless others that have less severe constipation that do not make it to the emergency room as well! In the lecture I talk about how 90% of Americans do not eat 30 grams fiber daily which is the recommended daily intake. Fiber consumption is about half the daily recommended amount.
I go over the fiber content of different foods. In summary, animal products such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy have NO fiber. If you are eating these products and have constipation, you are setting yourself up for misery. Only plant products such as beans, nuts, veggies, and fruits contain fiber. I recommend at least 4-6 servings daily for my patients. The processing of food takes out their fiber content. Processed foods include rice, pasta, cookies, crackers, chips, and noodles. You should limit your intake of these when you are constipated. However, processed foods listed above still have more fiber than animal products which have none. Even a cup of white rice has 0.6 g of fiber. The less processed version (brown rice) is always preferable in terms of fiber content. You will likely lose weight when you increase the fiber in your diet as the bulk will cause earlier satiety. The weight will come off slowly, but weight that comes off slowly is more likely to stay off!
Other agents that can cause constipation include medications, such as diuretics and especially narcotics. Exercise is also important to prevent constipation and drinking water helps as well. I recommend patients drink half their weight in ounces of fluid unless they have limitations due to heart failure or kidney failure. For instance, if you are 100 pounds, you should be drinking 50 ounces of water at least daily. You may need more if you are sweating due to exercise or excessive heat. How about juicing? I prefer smoothies because juicing takes out the fiber in the fruit or vegetables. I also recommend that patients stay away from diuretics, such as soda with caffeine, coffee, or tea, since that may cause frequent urination, causing the stool to be more dry and hard.
If you are really desperate, they do have many over the counter laxatives and enemas at Long’s or whatever pharmacy you prefer. You can ask the pharmacist. However, some patients become dependent on these laxatives for a bowel movement. Some patients add metamucil to their food. I am not against this practice, but it would probably be better to add something with nutrients such as fruits and veggies which are also delicious to your diet; instead of using metamucil. I hope after reading this post, you will never be constipated again, and not need to resort to these practices!
Chop up avocados and tomato and mix together in food processor or manually . If using a food processor, use S blade and “pulse” function. Add salt if desired, but not if you have high blood pressure! You can add a few sprigs of fresh oregano from your garden or one teaspoon of dried oregano herb. You can also add a few sprigs of cilantro. 1 teaspoon or the juice of 1/2 small lemon can be added. It will act as a preservative. The pit can also be placed into the guacamole, which will help the mixture last longer.
I am using tortilla chips without trans-fats in this video. Some tortilla chips have trans-fats, so please read the label carefully. If you do not want to use chips, you can try carrots, peppers, or cucumbers work well too in dips.
What are trans-fats?
Meat and dairy products may contain small amounts of naturally occurring trans-fatty acids. Most trans-fat is formed by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil, which causes the oil to become solid at room temperature. This oil is less likely to spoil, so foods made with it have a longer shelf life. Some restaurants use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in their deep fryers, so they can change the oil less frequently.
Trans-fats can contribute to heart disease and are considered even less healthy than saturated fats, which can also contribute to heart problems. They can raise “bad” cholesterol and lower “good” cholesterol. The FDA has required the amount of trans fats in foods to be listed on the backs of food packages since 2006, but companies are allowed to round less than half of a gram of trans fat to zero on the package label.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said food companies will be required to phase trans-fats out over the next three years. Foods that commonly contain trans fats include: frostings, pie crusts, biscuits, microwave popcorn, coffee creamers, frozen pizza, refrigerated dough, vegetable shortenings and stick margarines. Trans fats no longer fall in the agency’s “generally recognized as safe” category. Food companies can petition the FDA to use them. The FDA has not targeted the small amounts in meat and dairy because they would be too difficult to remove.
Mix all ingredients together in a food processor. I use the S blade and pulse function to my desired consistency. Once I can roll up the mixture into little balls, I know I am done. Make the bites to your size preference. I personally like to make them 1/2 size of a golfball. enjoy!
What is the difference between cacao and cocoa?
Cacao is the raw less processed form of cocoa powder. Cocoa loses some of the benefits of cacao because it is heated at high temperatures. Cacao has more antioxidants than cocoa. Cocoa has been found to decrease blood pressure and improve cholesterol. Both are rich in fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, manganese, and iron.
Dates:
Dates are high in potassium and fiber (with 12 g of fiber in one cup of dates!). Dates are also a good source of B vitamins. They have a high glycemic index (a lot of natural sugar), which is why we use them to sweeten recipes, but they may not be optimal for the diabetic.
Almonds:
Nuts have been shown to lower heart disease risk. Almonds are a good source of Vitamin E, copper, manganese, zinc, protein, and fiber. They contain much more unsaturated fat (the good kind) than saturated fat (the bad kind that raise your cholesterol).
Walnuts:
Walnuts are a good source of omega-3s! Walnuts also contain much more unsaturated than saturated fat. Walnuts are a good source of potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium.
Enjoying a brownie bite! (Photo Credit: Doug Falter)
That’s it! But you can add 1/2 red onion, jalapeños, or salt and pepper to taste. You can either cut the cilantro and tomatoes into smaller pieces manually or use a food processor. I have a Cuisinart 14 cup food processor, and I love it! If you use a food processor, choose the S blade. After washing your veggies, I chop the tomatoes up into smaller pieces before I put them in the food processor. Then I use the “pulse” function until I get my desired consistency.
Other serving suggestions besides tortilla chips, include putting the salsa on bread or if you do not want to eat processed foods or on a raw diet, you can use cucumbers instead of chips.
Cilantro: 1/4 cup of cilantro (about 4 grams) contains 1 calorie and 0 grams of fat. It contains, vitamins C, A, and K, folate, potassium, and antioxidants like beta-carotene. Oil extracted from the leaves of cilantro has been shown to delay spoilage. Cilantro leaves have also been found to have an antibacterial effect against Salmonella!
Tomatoes: Tomatoes have high anti-oxidant properties and help lower cholesterol, reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene (anti-oxidant), vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium. They also have B-complex vitamins.
Here’s the episode that you have all been waiting for finally; it’s the No Excuse Fitness Workout! You can follow along at home with your pause button. Make sure to incorporate the stretching at the points that it cues you in the video. Check out the No Excuse Fitness/Kickboxing Facebook page for more information. If you would like some company working out, consider joining No Excuse Fitness at 5:45pm on Mondays at Magic Island. Enjoy!
Benefits of Exercise:
1. Exercise is helpful in stress management. Exercise increases concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that moderates the brain’s response to stress.
2. Exercise releases endorphins, creating feelings of happiness. Exercise can improve depression.
3. Exercise boosts the chemicals in the brain that support and prevent degeneration of the hippocampus (the part of the brain involved in memory forming, organizing, and storing).
4. Various studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise can create new brain cells and improve overall brain performance. A tough workout increases levels of a brain-derived protein in the body which helps with decision making, higher thinking, and learning.
5. Exercise helps people fall asleep at the right time. Exercise five to six hours before bedtime raises the body’s core temperature. Body temperature drops back to normal a few hours later, signaling the body that it’s time to sleep.
6. Research shows that workers who exercise on a regular basis are more productive and have more energy than their sedentary co-workers.
7. An exercise session can boost creativity for up to two hours afterwards.
8. Exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol and decreases (bad) triglycerides.
9. Exercise can help prevent and manage health problems, such as stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls.
10. Exercise helps prevent weight gain and maintains weight loss. Engaging in physical activity burns calories.
11. Regular physical activity can lead to enhanced arousal for women. Men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than their sedentary counterparts.
In this episode, I include the stretching to do before and after the no excuse fitness workout. Art usually warms up first with a jog (included in the next episode) and then does the stretching.
You should never stretch a cold muscle in any way. Doing static stretches, where you hold the stretch before a workout can lessen your strength, power, and performance. In addition, stretching without warming up your muscles may cause injury. To improve range of motion and avoid injury, you need to stretch, but always start with some aerobic warm-up to get the blood flowing into the tissue before stretching.
Benefits of Stretching:
1. Improved flexibility and range of motion
As the body ages, muscles can become tighter and range of motion in the joints can decrease, causing movement to become slower and less fluid, making you more prone to muscle strain or other soft tissue injury. An increase in flexibility improves balance and coordination.
2. Good posture
Stretching lengthens tight muscles. Tense and tight muscles cause poor posture. Stretching the lower back, chest and shoulders can help keep the spine in good alignment and improve posture.
3. Prevent injury?
This is still widely debated but stretching has been proven to help increase blood flow to the muscles. This increase in flow brings a greater nutrient supply to the muscle, reducing muscle soreness and speeding recovery from muscle and joint injuries.
4. Stress relief
A buildup of stress causes your muscles to contract. Tension has a negative impact on your body. Like all types of exercise, flexibility exercises like stretching relieve stress.
This episode is about Art and Justin, who started the No Excuse Fitness Club group. I share an inspiring story about how Art gained a lot of weight after an injury in the war but was able to bounce back to unbelievable shape and compete in the American Ninja Warrior. Art also shows us some of his martial arts stunts in the end of the episode. His workout does not require any equipment and you can follow along at home (or in your neighborhood park)! Stay tuned for the following episodes for the workout. If you live in Oahu, you can join him and Justin on Mondays at 5:45pm. Check out their Facebook page No excuse fitness/kickboxing. Enjoy!
This is an easy 3 ingredient recipe that is quick and easy. It has no sugar or oil added.
Ingredients:
2 small bananas (apple bananas) or 1 large banana:
Bananas are a great source of dietary fiber, about 3 g per serving. They are rich in potassium (450 mg per serving), Vitamin B6, manganese, Vitamin C, magnesium, folate, Iron, Riboflavin, and Vitamin A. They are naturally cholesterol and fat free!
1 cup of rolled oats
What are rolled oats?
Oat groats are what is left after the outer husk has been removed from the bran-covered oat grains. Rolled oats are oat groats that have been de-husked, steamed and then rolled flat and lightly toasted. Rolled oats are also often the main ingredient in granola and muesli. Steel-cut oats are oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces before any steaming and retain bits of the bran layer. Raw oat groats are often further steam-treated to soften them for a quicker cooking time (quick oatmeal) and allow for a longer shelf life.
Oats have no cholesterol and have 5 g of fiber per serving! They are a good source of manganese, phosphorus, thiamin, selenium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron.
1/3 cup raisins
Raisins have no cholesterol (as with all plant matter). They are rich in potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, Vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, thiamin, and riboflavin. They have 3.7g fiber per serving.
Instructions:
Add all ingredients and stir. I have a kitchen aid mixer, which I love. It is a great investment if you like to bake, but it is not necessary, as all you need is a bowl and spoon to stir for this recipe. I like to use an ice cream scooper to scoop out the cookie dough. I like to use non-stick silicone baking mats. They are reusable and easy to wash. I put them on top of cookie sheets, or in this case I am using a pizza pan, since I did not have a cookie pan available. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. After preheated, bake for 13-15 minutes. The batch makes about a dozen cookies. Enjoy!
Directions: Place avocado first to cover each slice of bread. Place lettuce on top of avocado on one side and sprouts on top of the other slice of bread (on top of avocado). Then put the lettuce slice on top of the sprout slice of bread and cut in half for easier handling.
Nutrient content:
Bread:
You can use any kind of bread. I like Dave’s Killer Bread because it is organic, non-GMO, and contains no animal products, artificial preservatives or ingredients. They also add flax seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and poppy seeds for extra fiber; plus include whole grains such as quinoa, millet, gamut, and barley. Each slice of bread has a whopping 5 g of fiber and 260 mg of omega-3s!
Avocado:
Avocados are a great source of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium and potassium. They also provide lutein, beta-carotene and omega-3s. Avocados are full of healthy fats that help to keep you full and satiated. Healthy fats make your skin glow, increase vitamin and mineral absorption and help boost your immune system.
Lettuce:
Lettuce leaves are low calorie vegetables which possess health promoting and disease prevention properties. Lettuce contains Vitamin A, C, K, folate, and beta carotene. It also contains minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which are very essential for body metabolism.
Sprouts
I used pea sprouts that I got at Nalolicious farms (in Waimanalo), but you can use any kind of sprouts that you like. Sprouts refer to a number of different vegetable or plant beans in the period of time after they begin to grow. Sprouts represent a much more significant amount of vitamins and nutrients than they do in an un-sprouted form. Health benefits of sprouts include the ability to improve the digestive process, boost the metabolism, increase enzyme activity throughout the body, prevent anemia, help with weight loss, lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, protect against cancer, boost skin health, improve vision, and support the immune system.
I posted this because I have a lot of people ask me about the contents of my sandwich when I go to work. It is also something easy that you can make and take anywhere (see video)… Enjoy!
