There’s nothing like a good piece of corn on the cob at your summer barbeque or your buttered popcorn to go along with your favorite movie, right? Or wrong?

This question seems to be coming up more and more often…

Isabel, are corn and foods made from corn allowable on The DSP?

Well, the answer is yes, BUT there are a few details you need to know first (you didn’t think I was just going to leave it at that, did you?)

It’s been approximated that about 60% of the corn, now in the U.S., is genetically modified (although, I do think this number is higher now). The practice of genetically modifying corn began in an attempt to make corn crops resistant to certain pesticides. This helps the farmer because they are then able to grow a larger crop because it is easier to fight off pests (they can spray the crops with pesticides and get rid of insects without damaging their crop).

Sweet corn has also been genetically modified (now called Bt-corn) so that it produces a poison which kills harmful insects. This means the farmer no longer needs to fight insects with insecticides.

Now although some of these may sound like a good thing (especially if you’re a farmer!), we need to consider how GMO foods respond in our bodies and what kind of long term effects they can have on our health.

Well, because the introduction of GMO foods is still relatively new, we’re in a way being used as “guinea pigs” in a massive experiment (Yikes!). In April 2007, Arpad Pusztai, form the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen, UK, announced that experiments had shown intestinal changes in rats caused by eating genetically engineered potatoes (and I don’t know about you, but I’m not happy about anybody trying to mess with my intestines).

This actually doesn’t surprise me. It’s amazing to me how many more people now complain of things like irritable bowel syndrome and other nagging digestive problems. I’m not saying that eating GMO foods is the only cause for these conditions but I’m sure it’s a significant contributor (along with processed foods, but that’s a story for a different day).

Ok, so what if you’re able to get non-GMO corn? (Which it is difficult to know which brands and items are GMO and which are not) where does corn fit into your DSP meal plan?

First, your body reads corn as a grain, NOT a vegetable so if you are to include it into your meals, this will be the grain (carbohydrate) for your meal. So having corn and brown rice would be having 2 grains in one meal. This is not necessarily off limits and not “bad” in any way, just consider if you are someone who is sensitive to grains, you will lose weight faster by greatly reducing the number of grains you eat each day. You may want to take 2 – 3 weeks and follow the “no grain” meal plans in the Diet Solution manual and see if that helps break through any weight loss plateaus and/or helps your digestion.

What about microwave popcorn?

Well even the organic varieties contain preservatives (of course to keep them in the bag) and have been shown to contain the same chemical coating in the bag that is used on non-stick cookware (double YIKES!). I would stay away from this stuff.

How about air popped popcorn?

This is your best bet and can definitely be used as an occasional snack. But notice I said “occasional”. Remember most people lose weight faster by decreasing (not necessarily eliminating) many grains. Snacking on popcorn every day could and most likely will, impede your weight loss efforts.

I hope this information helps you to make a more informed decision at your next barbeque and at your next movie night. Remember, corn is not off limits by any means, just remember you’re looking for the non-GMO varieties and including it as a grain and not a vegetable into your meal plans.

I just finished reading this article about Omega-3s and wanted to send it your way because it’s a great read. As you know, I’m a big advocate of including a lot of Omega-3s into your meal plans and this article confirms why.

http://fishoilforyou.getprograde.com/why-you-need-omega3-fats.html

http://fishoilforyou.getprograde.com/why-you-need-essential-fatty-acids-part2.html

After reading articles like these that explain exactly why you need to include Omega-3s in your diet, I wanted to share a delicious Omega-3 meal with you! So here’s a recipe for Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter.

Ingredients:

• 6 (6-oz.) pieces center-cut salmon fillet (about 1 inch thick) with skin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lime zest
• 6 tablespoons lime butter sauce (recipe below)

Preparation:

• Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).
• Season salmon all over with salt and pepper, then grill, flesh sides down, on lightly oiled grill rack (covered only if using gas grill) for 4 minutes. Turn fillets over and grill (covered only if using gas grill) until just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes more. Sprinkle fillets with zest and top each with 1 tablespoon lime butter sauce.

*If you don’t have a grill, you can broil the salmon and use the lime butter sauce.

Lime Butter Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Preparation:

• Puree garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

Enjoy your super healthy and filled with Omega-3s meal!

As you may have seen in many of my recipes and in my newsletters, I’m quite the big fan of EGGS. But many people freak out when they see how many whole eggs (that’s right…whole) I eat in one week.

“Isabel. Aren’t you worried about getting high cholesterol by eating all of those eggs?”

Definitely NOT. And my friend and fellow fitness author Mike Geary explains it best, in great detail, in the article below:

http://EGGS.thedsp.info

There is a lot of terrible misinformation roaming around about eggs and Mike does an awesome job of clearing it all up in this article.

http://EGGS.thedsp.info

Like I mentioned yesterday, my number priority is answering your questions and getting you the info you need to live a super healthy life (not to mention look awesome in the process). So when I shared the free report “The Fundamentals of Digestion and Colon Health” by Yuri Elkaim, tons of questions came pouring in.

“Isabel, what do you think about colon cleansing? Do you think I should do a cleanse before I start the DSP?”

Well, the answer is yes and no (don’t you just hate it when someone answers your question like that?)

I say no because in essence, following the DSP way of eating will help you cleanse your body of toxins, processed foods and any other yucky sludge you may have living inside your body. Many people tell me that just after the first few weeks on the DSP, their digestion has never been better, not to mention more regular trips to the bathroom (if you know what I mean).

But I also say yes because some people have not been so kind to their bodies for many, many years and it will take a good cleaning out to get certain digestive organs moving the right way. I’ve had clients tell me they only go to the bathroom (and I’m not talking pee here) once every 2-3 days. This is NOT healthy and a clear sign of extreme constipation which can lead to a long list of health problems. Besides the fact that these are the same people who feel bloated and lethargic all the time. Of course they feel bloated…they’ve got days worth of poopoo stuck in their system and it has to make its way out of their body.

The problem with most cleanses advertised in stores and on the internet is that almost all of them require a long list of supplements, powders or special drinks…most of which are really just all a hoax anyway. But I’ve seen many clients fall for these claims because they’re not only desperate to lose weight, they’re desperate to get their organs moving the right way…and yes I’m talking about poop again here.

This is where my friend Yuri comes in. Yesterday I told you about how I met Yuri at a conference and right away I could tell him and I both shared many of the same views when it comes to nutrition and health. It’s always so refreshing to meet another professional who is on the same page as me since our approach is a bit “unconventional” and even nicer when that professional is so willing to pass on helpful information.

I was so excited to hear about Yuri’s cleansing program, The Total Wellness Cleanse and he so kindly shared his entire program with me for my review.

What did I think of Yuri’s cleansing program?

What do you want first?

The good news or the bad news?

Ok, I’ll start with the good news since I’m a positive person.

By far, what I love about Yuri’s approach to cleansing the body is that he does it through food! That’s right – he’s not a fan of using silly supplements or “magic formulas” that promise miracles in just a few days but have no long-term promise. So not only do Yuri and I agree that pills are not the answer, the focus of his program is using real natural foods (certain foods in certain ways) to cleanse the body of the toxic sludge it may be holding on to. These are foods that are easy to make and readily accessible, so there is nothing complicated about it. I’ve known people to buy special shakes and crazy ingredients and spend half the day preparing their ridiculous concoctions just to clean out their systems. That’s just not realistic; especially in today’s times when we’ve got jam packed schedules and way too much to do every day.

The second thing I love about Yuri’s program is that he tells you exactly what you need to eat and drink at every meal of the day. There’s no guess work here. If you want to follow this cleanse, Yuri makes it super easy by giving you the step by step game plan…basically he lays it all out for you.

And no, it doesn’t just say snack on carrots and celery and drink some lemon water every now and again. There are real, delicious recipes included and part of each day. Recipes like Almond Sunflower Cereal, Rockin’ Moroccan Warm Salad, and Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potatoes make this cleanse tasty and easy to follow at the same time.

Between the meal plans, the recipes, the food lists and the incredibly helpful information on understanding cravings and addictions…Yuri makes cleansing as easy as can be.

“So Isabel what is the bad news?”

Ok, it’s not really bad news, per se, it’s more like Yuri and I do disagree on one point. Yuri is not a very big fan of animal meats (although he does say that if you’re going to eat it, go for the natural, grass fed, free range kind). I think protein is an essential component of weight loss and I have no problem including animal meats into my or my clients’ fat burning meal plans. Actually, in many cases it’s not only essential but it’s the missing link to many people’s fat burning efforts. If you’re not fueling your body with the right muscle building nutrients, you will have a hard time putting on fat burning muscle. So don’t be afraid of animal meats…of course, always choosing the most naturally raised meats possible.

But…in the case of cleansing I do believe Yuri has a point. When you are trying to rid your body of toxins and processed foods that may be backed up in your intestines and has been there for quite some time, minimizing the amount of animal proteins during this time (2-4 weeks) is a good idea. If you’re anything like 90% of the population and you only visit the old commode (toilet that is) less than twice a day, a good cleanse just might be in order. You’ll not only get your digestion working properly but you’ll also get rid of tons of GOOK that’s been accumulating in your intestines for years.

Even us healthy people (and I say us because I have been living the DSP lifestyle for over 10 years now) could use a good cleaning out sometimes. I remember 3 years ago when I did a very similar whole foods cleanse, the stuff that came out of my body was borderline frightening…but I’ll spare you those gory details (and when I say gory, I mean gory).

You can learn more about Yuri’s Total Wellness Cleanse here:

http://totalcleanse.thedsp.info

If you’re looking for a natural, safe way to get the old sludge and toxins out of your system, I highly recommend Yuri’s program, not only because it’s super effective but because Yuri makes cleansing an incredibly easy process and simple to follow.

http://totalcleanse.thedsp.info

As you may or may not know, things over here at the Diet Solution are always super busy (but that’s a good thing right?) Busy or not, one of my highest priorities every day is listening to my readers.

We read every single comment, email, and question that comes our way. It’s the best way I know to make sure that I’m always giving you the information you want and need.

Yes…we get plenty of specific food questions. But you know what else we get a lot of?

Digestion questions!

Oh yes…from food combining, to gas and bloating and even the taboo topic of constipation. While most of my readers have seen incredibly positive changes in their digestion when changing to the DSP way of eating, there still have been those who have gone through a bit of an adjustment period where their stomachs and intestines are yelling…

“Huh? What happened to the chips and sugar? What is this…fiber? What am I supposed to do with this?”

Remember, if you’ve been feeding your body the not so go stuff for many years, it may take a few days, even a few weeks for your body to clean out the bad stuff and let the good stuff nourish your body the right way.

But digestion issues can be a real pain…literally. There’s nothing worse than a bad stomach ache or gas and bloating (especially when you’re out in public…just not cool) and the worst of all…constipation…painful and uncomfortable to say the least.

I could write an entire book on constipation alone and have written several newsletters about it, but I just got done reading a very helpful report on how to improve digestion and intestinal health by a friend of mine – Yuri Elkaim. I met Yuri at a conference several months back and realized right away that we both follow many of the same non-conventional principles when it comes to nutrition. He had some pretty interesting information when it came to digestion and told me he would send me some more info.

In fact, he’s allowed me to share it with you and my other subscribers – for free! (something he’s never done before!)

http://tinyurl.com/DSPdigestion

This 27-page report reveals 9 powerful techniques to improve your digestion so that you can combat that bloated, gassy, and tired feeling, and even how to not feel excessively full after a meal ever again. (I personally loved the 3 Quick References Guides he’s provided – makes these principles so easy to remember and apply).

He also discusses

• how to end constipation for good.
• how to combine your foods for maximum nutrient absorption (a topic I myself am still learning a lot more about and appreciate his input on the subject).
• 3 specific nutrients that will keep your colon squeaky clean (and healthy).
• how to prevent (or overcome) 2 “intestinal” conditions that you may not even know you have.
• and so much more!

The report is a quick 10-15 minutes read, there’s no fluff, just great usable information:

http://tinyurl.com/DSPdigestion

Enjoy and I’ll be back tomorrow with some more great digestion info for you!