Lowcarbezine! 21 November 2000
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Hey, Gang --
Here's this week's issue a full day early -- I leave for my mom's in
Chicagoland tomorrow afternoon. I was thinking this would be a short
issue, but it turned out full length anyway! Lots of recipes this week,
especially ways to use up that leftover turkey.
Have a wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving, and I'll see you all next week!
Read on!
Dana
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All contents copyright 2000 by Hold the Toast Press. All commercial
reproduction and/or use is expressly prohibited. As always, feel free
to forward Lowcarbezine! to any family or friends you feel might enjoy
it, provided that you forward it in its entirety.
If Lowcarbezine! has been forwarded to you and you enjoy it, you can
subscribe for FREE at http://www.holdthetoast.com .
Lowcarbezine! welcomes reader input! If you have a question, a recipe,
a product review, a low carb success story, send it on in!!
mailto:dana@holdthetoast.com All submissions become the property of
Hold the Toast Press. If you don't want us to print your letter, just
let us know, and we won't! However, please note -- although I really
do read all my email my very own self, I get a *lot* of mail --
generally over 200 posts a day (not all of them about Lowcarbezine!), so
I can't promise to answer every post personally. Or I'll never get the
next book written!
We are now accepting paid advertising. At this writing, our subscriber
base is 6,710; obviously, this is a highly targeted list. Please
mailto:advertising@holdthetoast.com for rates and terms. Hold the Toast
Press reserves the right to reject any ad, for any reason.
If you need a website designed or hosted, please check out the info on
Webbalah at the bottom of this newsletter! (Hey, *my* website looks
good, right?)
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A Problem I'm Thankful I Don't Have
I am a very, very fortunate person. One of the many ways in which I'm
fortunate is my family. I saw a cartoon once that showed an auditorium;
over the lectern hung a banner which read, "Annual Convention of Adult
Children of Functional Families" -- and there was only one person in the
audience.
That person is me. I am happy and honored to say that there is not a
single member of my family that I do not love, trust, and enjoy, all
three. Holidays are full of love and laughter, with no emotional land
mines to be carefully avoided.
I am aware, however, that not everyone is as lucky as I. Some of you
have been struggling for days with a knot in your stomach that grows
ever tighter as Thanksgiving Day draws nearer, because you dread seeing
one or more of your family members. I've seen the sort of pain this can
inflict -- some people I hold very dear are in this position -- and I
can think of few things that are harder.
I do not presume to be able to fix this problem for you. However, I can
offer two practical pieces of advice, which, of course, you may take or
leave as you see fit.
1) If you're seriously carbohydrate intolerant, *and* you'll be visiting
with people who make a sport of pushing each other's buttons, or cutting
each other down, I redouble my emphasis on eating a good, big, high
protein breakfast before you enter the fray, and I urge you to be wary
of eating a lot of carbs, even at the big feast. The more stable you
can keep your blood sugar, the stronger and calmer you'll feel, and the
more able to deflect emotional attacks. If not eating all the usual
Thanksgiving foods is going to draw attack, take a small serving, take a
bite or two, and toy with the rest, while making (hopefully
non-contentious) conversation. Remember your vitamins on Thanksgiving
morning, too!
2) Emotional games are like a dance -- they require the partners to be
doing the same old steps, following the lead. If you and mom, or dad,
or whoever, have been doing a bitter little cha-cha all these years, and
suddenly you start waltzing instead, they can't cha-cha any more. So do
your level best not to be drawn into the same old routine. Practice
saying these words with a smile on your face: "How very nice of you to
say so!" "How kind of you to say so!" "How very nice of you to notice!"
"And a very Happy Thanksgiving to you too!" These are your responses to
any nasty, barbed comments that may come your way. Here, let's
practice:
"Gee, gained weight, haven't you?" (They haven't seen you in a year, and
don't know you've just lost 10 pounds since going low carb.) "How very
nice of you to say so!"
"Lost a lot more hair there, huh?" "How very nice of you to notice!"
"If you amounted to anything, you'd have a husband and children by now!"
"How kind of you to say so!"
"When are you finally going to get a decent job?" "And a very Happy
Thanksgiving to you too!"
Don't you love this? Aren't you having fun? You'll drive them *crazy*,
while retaining the high ground, and looking like a class act to
everyone else there. If someone persists in demanding an answer to a
rude question, you might try, "Why ever do you ask?" Put them on the
spot for a change. But don't you *dare* get in there and start throwing
barbs with the rest of them; you'll only make things worse for all
everyone, yourself most of all.
One other thing: We all like to think of family as immutable and
sacred, and to a large degree, it is. I do truly believe that we should
put up with our family's little ways, flaws, and foibles; after all,
they put up with ours. However, I also believe very strongly that there
are truly toxic relationships in this world. And I believe that you do
*not* have a moral obligation to expose yourself to people who are
genuinely destructive to you (as opposed to just irritating) because
they're family. Only you can know if you have one of these people in
your life. But if you do, I would urge you to plan your holidays to
avoid those toxic relationships as much as possible. Deliver meals to
shut-ins. Volunteer at the soup kitchen. Plan a "Refugee's Holiday"
for friends who also won't be visiting family. Invite a couple of
service people from the local military base to your house, instead of
your family.
Family is sacred enough that it's important to make an effort when an
effort may bear fruit. But it is not so sacred that you are morally
obligated to crucify yourself for it.
Here's hoping you have plenty of other things to be thankful for!
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Cruise! Cruise! Cruise!
Here's hoping that all of you who want to go on the Low Carb High Life
Cruise, January 7-14, 2001, have already made your reservations,
because according to our cruise planner, the Carnival Victory -- the
biggest, newest, most luxurious ship in the Carnival fleet -- is almost
full up! If you've been thinking you'll go, but you *haven't* made your
reservations yet, you'd better do it NOW, or you'll be waving to us from
the dock as we set sail for the glorious Western Caribbean!
Here's some of the stuff we're going to do:
* Check out all the latest low carb diet books and low carb cook books!
* Learn metabolism-accelerating breathing exercises!
* Trade our best low carb diet tips and tricks!
* Sample lots of low carb specialty products!
* Learn Low Carb Restaurant Ordering 101!
* Hear about much of the latest research in low carb nutrition!
* Go on a Low Carb Adventure on shore -- pick a local restaurant and see
what we can order that's low carb!
All of this, along with glorious shore excursions at our beautiful
ports-of-call!
* See the historic sights at Chancanab, in Cozumel Mexico! Swim with
the dolphins!
* Swim with the rays in Grand Cayman!
* Climb beautiful Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, or just shop
at the local "Straw Market"!
And then there's your free time on the Carnival Victory, where all your
entertainment -- except for gambling, of course! -- is included in the
price of your cruise package -- shows, dancing, movies, activities,
swimming, work out facilities, you name it, not to mention plenty of
food, glorious food!
But space is almost gone! If you want to be on the cruise, you'd better
reserve a room *NOW*, because there may not be one tomorrow!
So forget gray skies and slushy streets! Come spend a week in the
Caribbean with me and new low carb diet pals, for the winter vacation of
a lifetime!
Call 1-800-529-2469 TODAY for current pricing!
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A Letter From a Thankful Low Carber
Hi Dana,
I began a low carb diet after my blood tests came back to show that my
triglycerides were at 263!!! I was experiencing head aches, my face was
breaking out (worse than I ever did as a teen ager), my cheeks would get
flame red around lunch time, I would get sooooo tired around 3:00 PM
each day, and I was "PMS-ing" EVERY day... I went to my doctor thinking
it had something to do with being 41 years old, but knowing other people
who hadn't been run over by a truck at that age. I was also gaining
weight even though I still walked 2-3 miles a day and teach
kindergarten.
So, I surfed the net and found you and your book. I subscribed to
LowCarbezine and began a new way of eating. Imagine my surprise when I
was eating sour cream, butter, nuts, etc. after following a low fat diet
for a "century"! I went back to my doctor to have my blood retested in
90 days and my triglycerides went down to 53 and my overall cholesterol
level lowered while my "good" cholesterol went up. My headaches were
gone, my face cleared up, my energy was back, my family was thrilled
with my mood, and I felt like I was back in control as I lost 23
pounds. I continued to lose weight and have lost 32 pounds after 5
months. I will never be thin, but I am a comfortable size 12 again and
feel great.
My whole family has switched to a low carb plan and they are feeling the
results too. Now, my relatives are buying your book so they can learn
"the secret". Ha! Ha! Thanks!
Nancy
Thank you, Nancy! I especially like that part about your relatives
buying my book. Big family, is it? ;-D
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Thanksgiving Gorging Alert!
An interesting news factoid came across my desk this week that could
have ramifications for some of my readers. According to this article --
which, sadly, is very brief, so brief it doesn't say who did the study
where, dammit! -- eating an unusually heavy meal increases the risk of a
heart attack. How much? Apparently risk increases four-fold during the
first two hours after an unusually heavy meal, and the risk is
especially high, 10 times normal, in the first hour. However, the risk
goes back to near normal after three hours.
Here's what this is based on, apparently: 1,986 men and women were
questioned about what they had eaten right before their heart attacks.
One hundred fifty eight of them said they'd eaten a heavy meal within
the previous 26 hours, and 25 had gorged within the 2 hours before their
heart attack.
Now, for many of you, this information is no big deal. If your
cholesterol and triglycerides are fine, if you're a woman of
child-bearing age, if, in short, you're at very low risk to begin with,
quadrupling that risk still leaves you at a low risk for a heart
attack. However, some people who read this newsletter are at high risk
for heart attack -- you're still working on improving your bloodwork,
you're a diabetic, whatever. If you're at high risk you probably know
who you are.
If you are, indeed, at high risk, you may want to skip the seconds at
Thanksgiving Dinner, and have them later in the day, instead. If you do
decide to go for it, and stuff yourself, I'd recommend against going out
and shoveling snow or going for a brisk walk in that two hour window
after the meal.
I'll keep an eye on Medline; sooner or later this study should end up
there, and we can all get some more details. Wouldn't that be nice?
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We Have *EVERYTHING* Low Carb, And It's All At a DISCOUNT!
Darrell Lea Chocolates, Atkins Bars, ProSlim Pasta, Baja Bob's Low Carb
Margarita and Strawberry Daquiri Mix, and Low Carb Bread Mixes to help
you with that Thanksgiving stuffing! You can also find Low Carb
Cookbooks,
Atkins Supplements, Ketosis strips, Protein Chips, Low Carb Tortillas,
and much, much more!
EVERYTHING we sell is DISCOUNTED every day!
Get Dana Carpender's _How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and Lost Forty
Pounds!_ for just $8.99! http://www.webbalah.net/carbsmart.html
If you're Low Carb and Smart, you'll shop CarbSmart!
http://www.webbalah.net/carbsmart.html
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Reader Review of _How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and Lost Forty Pounds!_
Love this book!
I found this book when I had just about finished the Induction phase of
Atkins Low Carb Diet. I had also read Protein Power. I was already sold
on staying Low Carb. I was
looking for a book that would break down the Low Carb philosophy in
terms of "what's the
easiest way to make this a part of my life". This book does a great job
of explaining the different
approaches to Low Carb Eating, eating out and holidays - in other words,
"low carb life"! Now I know
what to buy in the grocery store, and how to put meals together (without
spending hours in the kitchen!.)
A reader from New York, New York USA
Thanks, New Yorker!
If you'd like to read the first chapter of _How I Gave Up My Low Fat
Diet and Lost Forty Pounds!_ for FREE, you'll find it at
http://www.holdthetoast.com , along with the foreword and the table of
contents. And a FAQ, and a whole bunch of other stuff!
You can order the book through the website, or you can go to
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0966883101/lowcarbohysoluti and
find it at Amazon.com, along with a whole pile of other nice things
people have said about it!
Or, for that matter, you can visit
http://www.webbalah.net/carbsmart.html , and order
it from Carb Smart, where it's currently on sale!
If you'd like to buy the book from a bookstore, you'll probably have to
special order it. If you're in the USA, this shouldn't be a problem --
just tell them that you want to order _How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and
Lost Forty Pounds!_ by Dana Carpender, and that the ISBN is
0-9668831-0-1. You could also tell them that they can order it through
Baker and Taylor; one of the country's biggest book wholesalers. We do
ship to Canadian bookstores.
If you're outside of the US, your best bet is to order from Amazon.com.
We can ship internationally from here at Hold the Toast, too, but we're
not set up for it big-time like Amazon is. If you're a book wholesaler
outside the US and interested in carrying _How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet
and Lost Forty Pounds!_, we'd love to hear from you!
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Cocoa Update
Last week I wrote an article about the apparently reduced availability
of Swiss Miss Diet Cocoa Mix, the lowest carb cocoa mix I've been able
to find. My readers, as usual, came through.
Miss Heather wrote that Swiss Miss Diet is widely available in
Indianpolis, and that a good place to check is WalMart Super Centers.
Martin Guyette wrote that where he is, the Swiss Miss Low Fat is
actually only 4 grams per serving, and that Carnation also has a low fat
cocoa mix that is only 4 grams a serving. Wanda also wrote to say that
her Carnation fat free Cocoa has 3 g. per serving. I didn't find this
in my store, but brands often put out regional products -- READ THE
LABELS!
Cindy Schueneman, of East Berlin PA writes that the local Shur-Fine
store, called Nell's, carries Swiss Miss Diet.
Nancy Caldwell took matters into her own hands, and came up with
variations of the Atkins recipe for low carb cocoa, which she has kindly
shared! She writes:
Dr. Atkins has a cookbook with a hot chocolate recipe. It's as
follows:
1/3 cup cream
2/3 cup water
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 packet sugar substitute
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Place all ingredients in saucepan. Heat to boiling point, but do not
boil.
Stir constantly. Serve in mug. Total grams carb 5.4
I have adjusted the recipe to suit my purposes. I'll mix 1/4 cup cocoa
and
1/2 cup Splenda (adjust to your tastes) in a plastic container and use a
heaping spoonful per cup of cream/water. I heat the cream/water in the
microwave on high for 3 minutes and add the cocoa mix when removed from
microwave. (If you add cocoa mix before heating it boils over in the
microwave) Mix thoroughly. I don't add the vanilla anymore as I have
adjusted to the taste. I can take this concoction with me for breakfast
out
and have a nice hot chocolate whether at friends house or restaurant.
It's
great when traveling. I ask for hot water and a cup and proceed to put
my
heaping teaspoon into the cup and stir. Voila, hot chocolate with
minimal
carbs. Of course I am at maintenance level eating and can choose to
spend
my carbs this way. Only occasionally did I use this while getting my
body
in order. I don't enjoy coffee so this is a nice hot drink for me.
I hope this helps some others out there looking for hot chocolate
without
buying a product. For a cappuccino, add 1/2 tsp. instant coffee and 1/2
tsp. brandy extract. Serve with a cinnamon stick to stir. This
increases
the carbs to 8.1.
And here's a recipe sent by Jo:
Dana,
Well, I have been trying to figure out a cocoa recipe. When you use
powdered baker's chocolate, you just don't have the convenience of those
nice instant mixes. Still and all, here's what I've come up with:
3 level Tablespoons cocoa (pure cocoa, not the instant stuff)
5-6 level Tablespoons Splenda or Sugar Twin (this is about 1/3 cup)
1/4 Cup water
Heavy Cream
Mix the cocoa and Splenda together, mashing any cocoa lumps with the
back
of the spoon.
Add the 1/4 cup water and mix until smooth. This gives you a chocolate
syrup.
I used a 16 oz. mug for this. Fill mug with 8 oz water and heat in
microwave (or could heat on stove, of course). When the water is hot,
add
2-3 teaspoons of the chocolate syrup and stir until mixed well. Add
heavy
cream to the richness desired. I ended up using 5 oz. of the cream.
The nice things about this are:
1. You can keep the syrup in the fridge. Since it's mixed with water
it'll
probably keep a long time (and I'm sure the sitting will blend the cocoa
in
so the syrup is smoother, too).
2. You can adjust the amount of syrup and cream to taste.
3. You can also add extra sweetener if you like it sweeter than I do.
The
Splenda or Sugar Twin will mix right in. Adding more cocoa, however,
will
make lumps, but the strength of the cocoa can be adjusted with later
batches of syrup.
On cold evenings I like to add a drollup of Amaretto. If you like almond
flavor and not the alcohol, then try almond flavoring.
All of which should keep you in hot chocolate for a long time to come!
Thanks to everybody who contributed!
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That's it! Have a great Thanksgiving, and see you next week!
Dana W. Carpender
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