~ Mark Sisson demonstrates the rendering of beef tallow from suet via two different methods. I'm gonna have to give it a try.
~ Dr. Eades takes you through the ins & outs of evaluating your cholesterol numbers after eating low-carb for some time. "This study, published in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, demonstrates that subjects following the low-carb diet experience a decrease in triglyceride levels and an increase in HDL-cholesterol (HDL) levels; and that these changes are accompanied by a minor increase in LDL-cholesterol (LDL), which prompts the authors to issue a caveat." For the most part, my view is to greet the former with welcome and disregard the latter.
~ Karen De Coster takes you step by step through an urban workout in downtown Detroit. Lots of cool pics.
~ You're gonna hear a lot more about fatty livers in the coming years, as even kids are being diagnosed with them, now. Too much fructose. Another thing that cases a fatty liver is excessive alcohol consumption. They make a distinction between the two, but based only on the cause. Clinically, I'm not sure there's much, if any difference. At any rate, Stephan has now racked up two fatty liver reversals in his readers. The first, "Sam," had enzymes signaling a fatty liver for nine years, and it was confirmed by biopsy. Per Stephan's suggestion, he got off vegetable oils, reduced sugar in his diet, and supplemented with fish oil. Punchline: Sam reversed his fatty liver in about a month. And now, "Steve" has also reversed his fatty liver.
~ Free the Animal has yet another MD reader and comment contributor, Dr. Kurt G. Harris, MD. Here's what he said in his recent email to me: "My food epiphany came almost 2 years ago when I heard Gary Taubes on NPR while sitting in my pickup truck. I changed my diet that night before I even read his book. I later gave away over 30 hardcover copies to friends and other physicians. Started treating patients with my own paleo diet for free shortly thereafter - One month ago I started my own blog so just so I wouldn't have to repeat myself so much. I've got at least 200 people (that i know of) on the "PaNu" diet." I encourage you to check out his blog, paleonu.com. I'll be adding it to the roll.
~ From Ode Magazine, via my friend Kathleen in email, Fat is where it's at. "Jenny Matthau stands in front of hundreds of students at the Natural Gourmet School and speaks heresy. The New York City culinary program specializes in "health-supportive, whole-foods cuisine" with a "plant-based curriculum." Beef and pork aren’t on the syllabus, to say nothing of veal—and the school’s alumni run kitchens at health spas and work in restaurants with names like Organic Planet. So when Matthau, who’s president of the school and teaches the core nutrition class, delivers her lecture in praise of fat, students are often surprised."
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"Granny Miller" has a great post on rendering tallow/lard as well.
http://grannymillerblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/rendering-lard-tallow.html
Personally I have now rendered both, (lard for eating, tallow for soap – someday) in my crockpot. Now that is super easy. Just plug it in, turn it on low, put the lid on and check it a couple times. I usually set it outside, unless the weather is bad. Then I strain it right into the jar. I'm still experimenting with the techniques. Cheesecloth seems to give a nice, clean straining. I've added a little water both times so far, but next time I think I'll skip that. The crockpot heats so slowly I don't think it is necessary.
I read about the slow cooker method and tried it last time I did lard. I didnt stir and got a big clump of not-fully-rendered stuff that all stuck together and stuck to the bottom. plenty of lard came out, but the leftover meat wasn't dry enough to be crunchy as I like it. water might help with the bottom sticking; but I dont know if opening the pot to stir would release too much heat.
Jon:
Try spreading those clumps out on a cookie sheet — or better yet, a roasting pan with a grate — under a low broiler, when nice & brown, turn over. Should take only a few minutes each side and you'll have cracklings.
once i had a parrot who had a fatty liver because he ate too many sunflower seeds. those are not a good thing for parrots. but they love them!
I have read Karen De Coster's work for some time now, and enjoy her. Amazing how I seem to link with people who are not only smart about diet, lifestyle, and exercise, but also libertarian. Do we (libertarians) hold the reigns of common sense?
Richard, paleonu is a superb blog, thank you for pointing your readers to it. I predict and will help to promote a significant uptick in Dr. Harris' readership.
For me, no wheat means no seasonal allergies, no dermatitis, and provided I lay off hte coffee after 3PM, no trouble sleeping and no trouble getting by with 7 hours of sleep/day.
Actually, William, I'd call it "Uncommon Sense." That was actually the original name of this blog, 2003 – 2005.
Which comes first? The increased saturated fat intake helps our brains to function, hence we distrust government? Or does our natural distrust of government drive us to everything they tell us is bad, like saturated fat?