My 5 Days with Paleo

I have been contemplating on going gluten-free for a while now. After learning that I am allergic to a lot of grains and essentially gluten from my Food Intolerance Test last 2014, I have been challenging myself to go totally gluten-free and see its effect on my body.

 

So I searched online for a gluten-free meal delivery service since I am not yet that familiar with the different ingredients that contain gluten and may inadvertently include them in my diet. One that I found is from Paleo Manila. I signed up for a 5-day meal plan to test their meals and see if a week is enough to see the effects of a totally gluten-free diet.

 

Paleo Manila delivers your meals the night before. It comes in a brown paperbag with the meal plan for the day attached to it.

Each bag contains Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and two snacks. I usually eat the snacks as dessert after taking my lunch and dinner.

 

Unlike the usual meal delivery in Metro Manila, the Paleo Manila meal plan does not count calories. They usually cover anywhere from 1,300 to 1,800 calories a day. This actually worried me a little when I was starting with the program. I am a relatively healthy eater and my average caloric consumption based on my Fitness Pal tracker is around 1,500 a day. So going over my average intake might make me gain weight. But I pushed through with it since my goal was not to lose weight anyway. It was to see if going gluten-free has any tangible health benefits for me.

Omelette for breakfast, Roasted chicken with mashed sweet potato and grapes for lunch,
a serving of carrot cake for dessert

Beef brisket

The meals were pretty hearty, as expected, and they tasted good. Some better than the others. My only challenge was to eat the pork-based meals since I really do not like the taste of pork. Unfortunately, customizing your meals with Paleo Manila means adding another thousand to the weekly cost of P3,750. Too expensive!  So I just ate whatever pork came my way. Sometimes I only finished half of the pork meal. 

 

My favorite is Day 5 - they really saved the best for last.

Seafood with Cauliflower Fried Rice, Chicken Pesto, Vegetable salsa with egg

The desserts were exceptionally good except for the cookies on the last day which did not taste like cookies at all. They were more like caramel crinkles.

 

The Gluten-free Orange Nut Bread was the best! Should I decide to splurge and customize my Paleo meals, this would be my snack all week!

Gluten-free Orange Nut Bread

Five days into my Paleo diet and I lost 4 lbs!  I could not believe it! I went down from 108 lbs to 104 lbs by simply eating right even when I was technically eating more!  I felt energized and could even run 5km to 7km each day while I was on my Paleo meal plan. My digestion improved and I did not feel bloated at all. I think that was the biggest winner for me. I can finally conclude that Gluten is the cause of my bloating.

 

So is eating Paleo and the same as going Gluten-free? I have been reading about it and will share my findings with you soon. Stay tuned...

 

If you want to try Paleo Manila's meal plan, you may book with them by clicking here.

 

 

 

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LifeScience: Fitness Intolerance Test

"One man's food is another man's poison."

A couple of weeks ago, i got invited to try the Food Intolerance Test at LifeScience - a newly opened wellness center in Bonifacio Global City that focuses on anti-aging and preventive medicine.  I heard about LifeScience through Jennie Epperson's blog over a month ago and have been very interested to check it out since then. So when the invite came, i said yes in a heartbeat.

One of the more popular diagnostic tests at LifeScience is the Food Intolerance Test (FIT). A lot of people misconstrue food intolerance to food allergies.

Here is how the Mayo Clinic differentiates the two:

"A true food allergy causes an immune system reaction that affects numerous organs in the body. It can cause a range of symptoms. In some cases, an allergic food reaction can be severe or life-threatening. In contrast, food intolerance symptoms are generally less serious and are limited to digestive problems." 

Unlike food allergies, food intolerance symptoms generally come on gradually and don't involve an immune system reaction (ex. skin rash, instant swelling, shortness of breath or wheezing). Food intolerance may produce a variety of symptoms including bloating, constipation, chronic fatigue syndrome (like when you always feel sleepy after a meal), diarrhea, gastritis, headaches, hyper acidity, insomnia, water retention, weight control problems and even attention deficit disorder.

The doctors at LifeScience explained that people who frequently ate food that they are intolerant to usually complain of a general feeling of unwellness. Medical tests may show that they are fine so they would automatically assume that it's 'all in their mind'.

There are two kinds of Food Intolerance Test at the wellness center.  The first one is called Food Print which is a more thorough food intolerance test covering over 200 food items. This test is a bit more expensive and results are usually available within 10 working days. 

Blood Extraction

The other one called the Food Detective which is a quick test that can give you the results in just 40 minutes. This covers 46 common food items and costs P8,500 only. This is what i tried.

I booked an appointment prior to my visit. Upon arrival, i was asked to proceed to the extraction room where blood sample was taken by finger-pricking. Easy-peasy. Then i waited outside and was offered coffee/tea while i filled out the patient profile. The place felt like a Spa. So calm and relaxing.  And the fact that i was sitting on Kenneth Cobonpue furniture while sipping hot tea felt even more luxurious. 

After less than 40 minutes, i was ushered to the nutritionist's room where the results will be discussed with me. The nutritionist was not yet there so i was able to take some pictures while waiting. Check out the Herman Miller chair! They definitely did not scrimp on the furniture.
My results show that i am intolerant to 6 out of the 46 food items on the food detective card.

Rice was on the list and this made sense. I stopped eating rice over 20 years ago. The reason was not to diet.  I noticed that i often felt bloated and acidic after eating rice. This also resulted in constant hyper acidity and a false sense of hunger only an hour or so after my meals.

Wheat was a recent discovery for me. Early this year, i had several episodes of vomiting and diarrhea for no reason at all. My endoscopy and colonoscopy procedure show that i have a slow digestive system. I did my own research and learned about the negative effects of Gluten on digestion. So i decided to eliminate this from my diet as a test.  After a week or so, i noticed less bloating and no more recurring episodes of vomiting nor diarrhea. Since Gluten is a a protein composite found in wheat, eliminating Gluten meant eliminating wheat from my diet. Of course, i cannot cut wheat 100% of the time but i have significantly lowered my consumption after the Food Detective test confirmed my self experiment early this year. I have not had any vomiting or episodes of diarrhea for the past 6 months. Praise God!

Other food items that i was found to be intolerant to were Celery (surprise surprise!), Legume Mix, Mushroom (this is the hardest to cut from my diet), and Yeast.

You see, most of the above mentioned food are considered healthy.  However, they can be good food to one person but poison to another. This is why taking the Food Intolerance Test is very important to know your body's unique needs.

If you want to find out more about LifeScience and the other services that they offer, you may book an appointment or reach out to them through the following contact details: 

LifeScience
Tel: +632 828 LIFE (5433)
Mobile: +63917 535 LIFE (5433)
8th Floor ACCRA Law Tower
2nd Avenue corner 30th Street
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Philippines

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Shop With Your Kids at EchoStore, Eton Centris

Have you made your New Year's resolution for 2014? Let me guess. There is probably one item there that is health-related. Whether the goal is to lose 10 lbs, start eating healthily, or enroll in a gym - it all boils down to one thing. People these days are all aiming for a healthier lifestyle.

7 New Years' ago, i made the same resolution. I decided to live heathily inside and out. It's not just getting fit and losing that belly fat, although that's a wonderful bonus, it's also making sure that our family is eating and using the right products. Though i must admit that it has been tough to go all natural and all organic 100% of the time, i am happy that these products are now becoming more and more accessible to the Filipinos nationwide.

When my good friends, Christopher and Sharon Chua, opened an EchoStore branch in Eton Centris, i was determined to visit. I am familiar with EchoStore and was excited to shop for my family.

EchoStore sells Filipino-made products that supports a sustainable lifestyle. They have everything from food to personal/beauty and household products. The Eton Centris branch was made extra special because it's not only a store but also a restaurant (EchoCafe) that promotes healthy but delicious eating.

On top of that, the store has a little play area where the kids can safely read books and play toys while their moms do their grocery shopping and the dads enjoy an afternoon coffee in the cafe. Now isn't that so ideal for all of us parents? Also a great place to meet up with friends for coffee even when you don't have a yaya.

 Here are some of the products that caught my attention while shopping at the EchoStore.

Beansprouts tumblers and ecosacks!

Super delicious Malunggay corn snacks. Malunggay is known to increase breastmilk supply.  Hoard now breastfeeding moms!

Soya Chips in yummy Sour Cream. A great alternative to snacking.

Granola - taste so good with your favorite cereal + non-fat milk. My favorite daily breakfast.

Leyende products

Human Nature products

Can you say healthy ice cream?



Whole Wheat Pancake Mix for your kids! They won't even notice the healthy switch.

GIGA products (side note: i especially love their Eucalyptus Body Spray that i use as a room scent and insect repellant)

Zenutrients products

I bought a few more products during our visit that i was not able to take pictures of like the Island Basics Lavender & Tea Tree Make Up Remover (works like eye magic for stubborn liquid eyeliners!) and a host of various insect repellants that i know are Deet-free and safe for my kids.

Eton Centris is pretty far from where i live but i know i'll find myself back there one of these days. To all of you living in Quezon City, what are you waiting for? Start the year right and jumpstart your family to a healthier lifestyle! Your journey to good health starts today.

ECHOstore Centris Walk ETON Mall, EDSA corner Quezon Avenue, Quezon City
Tel: (632)709.7800

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Christmas Comfort Food

I woke up feeling happy today. I got to the office earlier than usual and decided to get my daily dose of Chai Tea Latte from the nearby coffee shop.  As I was walking down the street,  i began to notice the warm sun and the soft cool breeze that filled the air. It's my kind of weather.  In that quick 15-minute trip, i felt the holiday spirit kick in. As i held on to the comfort of that warm tea latte, it started to feel a lot like Christmas!

Together with my long love affair with the Chai Tea latte, i have found a new love to pair it with. Pili Biscotti!

My brother-in-law gave them to me over a month ago. It looked like toasted bread with pili so i was initially not as excited as i probably should be. I tasted it and knew that i have found my newest comfort food. I always pair it with a cup of Chai or coffee. I am not a coffee drinker but the newly discovered coffee-biscotti partnership is too good to pass.

The Biscotti itself is a already a little bit sweet. The added taste of the slightly bitter coffee blends well into the toast.  

Being the health nut that i am, i was pleased to discover that Pili Nuts have a whole range of benefits. Pili nuts contain:

• All 8 essential amino acids which have been found to support healthy blood sugar levels, development of muscle tissue, hormone production, energy regulation,  healthy bones and skin, brain balance, liver detoxification, and neve cell health.
• Bio-available minerals, including the highest magnesium content of any nut.  Magnesium helps support healthy nerves, muscles and bones.
• More Vitamin E than any other nut which supports healthy skin, immune function, and protection against various diseases due to its antioxidant qualities. Vitamin E also protects against cholesterol turning into plaque, thus helping prevent cardiovascular and thrombotic disease.

My newfound Biscotti love is from Sherry J. I love that it's packaged in a resealable bag...but then again, i almost always finish the entire bag at one sitting anyway :) 

Try it yourself and see what i'm talking about. You may order by calling 0917 5699616, 0922 8595176, 2549928 or go to their Facebook page by looking for Sherry J pastries & desserts.

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Detox in a Bottle (Day 2)

I am on Day 2 of my Juice cleanse. So far so good. Day 1 had it's good and bad moments but they're mostly good.  Unlike the previous cleanses that i did which were sheer torture, Detox in a Bottle was pretty enjoyable. I looked forward to my drinks and it didn't really make me so hungry that i can't get through it anymore.

I found that sleeping early (like 9pm!) helped me get over the hunger pangs and cravings. I would usually wake up again after putting the kids to sleep but last night, i just slept through the night with them. I had to wake up twice during the night to pee - something that i almost never do. Maybe that's the effect of my body detoxifying itself. I woke up at 6 in the morning and weighed myself. I didn't really lose much weight but my clothes fit better today. I'm pretty sure i lost an inch here and there.

Day 2's menu looked exactly like Day 1 except for lunch. I had Cream of Roasted Veggies today. It was also very good. Creamy yet it's non-dairy. I preferred Day 1's soup though.



Since Day 2's drinks are practically like Day 1, i didn't bother to take pictures anymore. My all-time favorite would still be the 10am Chili Lemonade followed by the 8am Energy Blast. The Kidney Cleanse didn't taste as bad today maybe because i was already half expecting it to taste awful.  I just followed the not-so-tasty drinks with a cup of organic peppermint tea to wash out the after taste.

I decided not to proceed with Day 3 because i have dinner plans with friends tomorrow night. And honestly, the smell of Boy Bawang has been haunting me since yesterday.  I think this is the best detox program that i have tried to date. I can continue with my regular work and exercise schedule without difficulty. You don't need to be near a bathroom like the other detox programs recommend. You may pee more than usual but that's just about. Everything else is 'business as usual'.

There are two kinds of detox programs under this brand. There is the Cleanse formula (P2,000 per day) and the Weightloss formula (P2,500 per day). I initially wanted to try the Cleanse formula since i honestly wasn't focused on losing weight. But i was told that they are essentially the same ingredients except that the Weightloss formula was just more potent. This means that if you're after a thorough cleanse, the Weightloss formula would still be your best bet. 

I hope to do this regularly from now on. But we'll see...Christmas is just around the corner so holiday meals abound. I will need to gain more will power the 2nd time around.

You may contact Nikki from Detox in a Bottle at 966 3393 or detoxinabottle@yahoo.com if you'd like to order.  You They will deliver the bottles to you the day before your cleanse day.

Enjoy and tell me about your experience too, okay?

  

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Detox in a Bottle (Day 1)

I am doing my first juice cleanse today. I have done a few cleanses in the past and all of them were very unpleasant! Since then, i have been pretty averse to detox programs. Then a few weeks ago, i chanced upon Detox in a Bottle. As i learned more about their program, i was more and more inclined to give it a shot.

Here are my reasons why i chose this over other detox programs:

1. The drinks are forumlated by a US Certified Fitness Nutritionist, Nadine Tengco. I like that it's not just some random person who discovered the wonders of his or her new juicer and wants to start earning from it.

2. It includes a bowl of savory soup for lunch! When i did a 3-day detox in the past, it was all sweet. There was nothing to break the taste and it just made me crave for something salty towards the end of the day.

3. It's nicely packed. When the bottles aren't delivered clean and well packed, it makes you wonder about the cleanliness of the kitchen were the concotions are prepared.

You can do a 1, 2, or 3-day cleanse depending on your fitness goal and lifestyle.

1 day cleanse - if you have no previous experience with fasting.  This is good  for those who just wants a beauty boost and do not have time for a longer cleanse.

2-3 days cleanse - you already had some experience in cleansing and fasting and you need to make a bigger change

I decided to commit to a 2-day cleanse first and decide later on if i want to continue to do day 3.

So here we go. I am now on my 2nd juice and i will write down my thoughts and feedback as i go along with this cleanse.

On my way to work, i finished a bottle of water.  When i got to the office around 7:40am, i was not feeling hungry but the thought of doing detox was making me more conscious about the 'meals' that i was to take for the day.

At 8am sharp, i downed my first bottle. It's called the Energy Blast and it tasted like banana smothie. Not bad at all. I would even order this at Jonah's Boracay if they have it there.   

It's now 10:15am and i just finished Bottle #2. It's called the Chili Lemonade and i love it! It comes with a pack of ground flaxseed that you need to mix into the drink I love ginger so i like the 'chiliness' of this drink.   

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It's now 1:36pm - i just came back from one hour of yoga (yep, day 1 is pretty good. Doesn't drain your energey so i can still do my regular exercise routine). Starting to feel hungry now and i noticed that my senses are heightened. I can smell Boy Bawang from halfway across the room!

Lunch is Cream of zucchine and carrots soup. It's non-dairy but it's really creamy and tasty. The moment i tasted it, i immediately thought of asking if i can order soups from them regularly. Seriously, it's that good.

Now the papaya enzyme tablet (see the little white thing attached to the soup cover?) is something i was initially not so comfortable taking. I don't really like to take anything that looks like medicine. I did a little research and found out that it's actually good for digestion. I texted Nikki (niece of Nadine Tengco) and she said to just chew it. So i did. It actually tastes like Maalox or a better version of Kremil-S if you've tasted that before. I think it makes sense since it's an aid for gastric disturbances like its similar-tasting tablets.

It's almost 2pm and i'm supposed to take Bottle #3 "Kidney Cleanse" now. But since i took the soup later than scheduled, i decided to move up the 3rd bottle an hour later.  The instructions state that you need to 'feed yourself every 2 hours'.  I'm capping my lunch with some organic peppermint tea now. Yum!
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3:26pm - Just took the Kidney Cleanse drink. It doesn't taste as good as the previous drinks and soup but it's not so bad. I had to also take an 8oz glass of water.  I used the same bottle and just filled it with water.  I estimate it should be approximately 8oz.

Time for more peppermint tea to wash away the after taste of the Kidney Cleanse drink. It tasted like veggie shake.
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5:30pm - Bottle #4 "Liver Detox" doesn't taste good at all! I am starting to feel a little lightheaded and developed a moderate craving for real food. I don't know why but it feels very similar to my late afternoon queasiness during my pregnancies. The liver detox left a sour taste in my mouth that made me even more nauseous. I think i'm going to take a nap now.

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6:45pm - Bottle #5 "Gingerade" is not so bad but i wouldn't order it in a restaurant like the other juices. I think after 4 bottles of juice, everything is just starting to taste the same. It's losing it's appeal and i'm craving for something to chew on.
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8:30pm - Bottle #6 "Salad in a Bottle" taste just like that. Like lots and lots of veggies. It's very similar to the Kidney Cleanse drink somehow.

And that ends day 1. I am going to sleep earlier tonight to avoid late-night hunger. I already received my juice set for Day 2.  Will update you tomorrow.



**READ ABOUT DAY 2 HERE. PRICES AND HOW TO ORDER INCLUDED THERE**

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Snack on BonChon

A few weeks ago, Neva and i found ourselves eating to our hearts' content at BonChon.  They had a number of new offerings that are ideal for snacks or light meals. Although to be honest, what we ate that day was anything but light!

Scott Tan, owner of BonChon Philippines

Before i introduce the new offerings to you, let me quickly share with you some facts that i learned about BonChon during the event.

• BonChon is originally from Korea
• There are now 160 branches of BonChon worldwide, half of which are located here in the Philippines
• Because of BonChon's large Philippine presence, the head office has given the Philippine office a hand on food innovations and even marketing ideas. Other than the original BonChon chicken, all of the other food offerings were created here in the Philippines.

Now for the food.  Here are my top pics:

Fish & Chips P125



Double Garlic Snackwich P75

There is also the Double Spicy Snackwich alternative at the same price. I tried it and i found it too spicy for my taste. The feedback from people who love spicy food was great though. I think they like that it's truly doubly spicy unlike other sandwiches that claim to be spicy but lacks the kick. 

Fish Taco at P75 each

Apple Caramel Crispy Crepe at P60 each

There is also the Mangoes and Cream alternative for the Crispy Crepe. I prefer the Apple Caramel though.

And for my personal favorite...

Sweet Potato Fries at P60

The Sweet Potato Fries tastes so good! It's a good mix of salty and sweet.

Hop to to the nearest BonChon outlet and try these new snack offerings. I appreciate that they're well priced. Not too expensive considering the quality of the ingredients.

BonChon, i will be back! Promise!

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Japan: Land of the Vending Machines

Over a month ago, i found myself in Tokyo for another business trip. I forced surprised Dens by booking him a free trip using our travel miles. 

Upong reaching the airport, you'd notice a lot of vending machines lined up. From drinks to candy bars and what-nots. On our first night, Dens and i wanted to try something extraordinary. We walked around Shibuya and saw this little restaurant with a nice vending machine inside. We got curious so we decided to give it a try.

The buttons on the machine contained pictures of the food plus the price so it was a no-brainer for non-Japanese speakers like us. 

You basically insert your money (bills or coins), turn the knob and press the button of your desired order...

...and viola! Out comes a ticket with your order and the price. It's a 2-part ticket with perforation in the middle. You just give the entire thing to the waiter and they will give back one part to you. That will serve as your receipt. 

The place is good for individual diners since they have a bar-type set-up. In other words, you won't look kawawa if you are eating by youself.

 My shrimp tokatsu plate! It did look like the picture on the vending machine. Yay!

Dens had Oyakudon. The servings were big so we decided to just bring home the left-over.  It was so good that i was already craving for more by 11pm.  I ate all of our leftover before going to bed. (sorry, unhealthy eating habits!)

Try it when you find yourself in Tokyo.  This type of restaurant is pretty common around the city. We saw a lot of it in Shibuya during our visit.

喝采

Kassai




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