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Rebecca Aldag

Discover 10 Ways to Stop Weight Gain During the Holidays (And Still Have Fun at Parties!)

By Rebecca Aldag

  1. Be mindful of portions.  That second helping or second dessert, most likely adds up to a lot more carbohydrates and more sugar. Carbs and sugar create inflammation. This in turn, may cause weight gain, and prevent weight loss.
  2. Choose protein. Carbohydrates and sugar can trigger cravings.  Protein tends to halt cravings.
  3. Looking for a great drink option? Bitters on the rocks with seltzer, and a squeeze of lime is refreshing and helps support digestion. Bitters contain digestive herbs!
  4. Another great beverage choice is seltzer water with ice, sweetened with flavored stevia. Stevia is a delicious, all natural sweetener. It contains zero calories, has no effect on blood sugar, and is purported to halt cravings. Try grape, root beer, orange and cola flavored stevia. Purchase online or if local, Woodman’s Grocery Store.
  5. Go for the low carbohydrate snack combos; salsa and veggies, hummus and veggies, or a handful of crunchy nuts.
  6. Substitute a protein powder shake for your regular breakfast.  Look for a high quality pea protein powder, or grass fed whey powder.  Blend with 1/2 cup frozen fruit, 1/2 avocado, leafy greens, and a dairy alternative (coconut milk, almond, cashew, hemp…).  Chocolate protein powder with frozen organic cherries (Costco) is delicious!
  7. Hydrate by drinking plenty of water.  Aim for  1/2 your body weight in fluid ounces.
  8. Get outside for a minimum of 20 minutes per day and move.  Try walking during lunch or after work.
  9. Strength train!  Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. Defined muscular arms look great in sleeveless dresses, and the added muscle tissue helps to manage insulin levels.  Research is finding that keeping insulin levels in check, may be the key to preventing serious and chronic disease states.
  10. Manage your stress! Stress is another culprit leading to inflammation and chronic disease, and we already know from Tip #1 that inflammation also leads to weight gain, and may prevent weight loss.  Pick and choose holiday invites that are truly enjoyable to you. Schedule time to relax, read a book, listen to music, or watch the snow fall!

Trying out just a few of these ideas during the holidays, may lead to a new way of doing things next year.  You may not require those New Years’ resolutions after all!

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Kombucha in My Own Kitchen

How to Brew and Share Kombucha

By Rebecca Aldag 

Kombucha is a fizzy tart beverage with a hint of sweetness derived from brewed tea fermented by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). The drink has been revered as a health tonic since the Chinese Tsin dynasty (212 B.C.), and modern chemistry tells us the body benefits come from its plethora of probiotics that promote good gut health and more, including:

  • Improved digestive health and functionality
  • Boosted energy
  • Immune support (70% of our immune system is located in the GI tract)
  • Brain and mood function (gut bacteria create up to 95% of the body’s serotonin)
  • Weight loss
  • Vitamin and mineral absorption
  • Better skin and dental health

With a list like this, no wonder kombucha has been called “Immortality Tea.” Since learning to brew my own, gone are the days when I would spend $4 on a single bottle of kombucha at a café or rely solely on expensive probiotic supplements. Making your own kombucha is much easier than you think. Not only is it economical (just pennies per batch after you are set up), it’s a fascinating process that can result in delicious flavor concoctions and significantly better overall health.

Here are several tips and tricks I use when brewing my own kombucha. Remember, you can DO this. If humans have been brewing kombucha since 200 years before the birth of Christ, and we can only guess at the environments in which they worked, you will be successful in your own kitchen.

  • You will need a very good set of instructions for brewing your own. I like this web site because the pictures are excellent and you learn a lot about the science of kombucha along the way. Essentially, you brew tea and add sugar, add water then SCOBY, monitor its fermentation for 10-14 days, add flavors to taste, and bottle the final product.
  • SCOBY is a culture of yeast and other microorganisms embedded in a thick pad of pure cellulose. You can order SCOBY online to start your kombucha manufactory, or you can ask for some from a fellow kombucha brewer, or grow your own. Think of it like sourdough starter—it’s shared between friends.
  • The tea I use is high quality black or green tea. Don’t use any herbal teas or blends. I recommend the Equal Exchange brand because it’s fair trade, organic, and delicious.
  • Do not allow the SCOBY to come into contact with metal at any time. Remove your jewelry before handling the SCOBY.
  • If mold forms, or if you see any flies in the kombucha or on the SCOBY, toss the entire batch including the SCOBY and start over. No worries.
  • Wash your hands and your equipment well before every batch. I suggest you use vinegar for cleaning because it doesn’t leave a soapy residue.
  • Ultimately, you will transfer the finished product into reusable bottles like these which I sourced from World Market. They must be airtight to hold the fizzy fermented drink. (I appreciate things that are pretty and practical.) If you have Mason jars with tight screw-on lids, these will also work.
  • New layers grow on top of existing SCOBY each time it’s put into a new batch of sweetened tea. If the bottom part gets too thick or crumbly, peel off the ragged layer and throw it away.
  • If you bottle early, your kombucha will be sweeter; if you leave it longer, it will be more acidic.
  • After the kombucha has fermented for 10-14 days and it’s passed your fizzy/tart/sweet taste test, (you will detect a vinegar smell, and this is good), remove the SCOBY and strain the liquid. Set aside some of this liquid in a small container. This is where the SCOBY will “live” until you need it for another batch.
  • Now the fun starts—flavors! Add room-temperature syrups, teas, and fruits to your taste and cover the container of strained liquid for a second 2-day fermentation period at room temperature. For a one gallon batch, you will need only 1/3 cup of flavor ingredients. Then strain and funnel the finished product into your pretty-and-practical bottles or jars and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to drink them. A couple of my favorite flavor blends:
  • Elderberry ginger (ask at your health food store for Source Naturals elderberry syrup and chopped fresh ginger)
  • Raspberry lime (cooled raspberry tea and fresh squeezed lime juice)
  • Hibiscus lime (cooled hibiscus tea plus fresh squeezed lime juice)
  • Cherry vanilla (crush fresh or frozen organic cherries and 1 TB of fair trade organic vanilla extract)
  • Blueberry vanilla (crush fresh or frozen organic blueberries and 1 TB of fair trade organic vanilla extract)
  • Cherry ginger (crush fresh or frozen organic cherries and chopped fresh ginger)

Three Reasons to Brew Your Own Kombucha

  • Get kids sipping kombucha early and they’ll ask for it instead of soda or juice. Making your own is fun and affordable for the whole family.
  • Fine-tune your digestive system with lots of types of kombucha. No two SCOBY concoctions are exactly the same, and this biodiversity is just what your gut needs.
  • SCOBY is duplicated with every batch you brew. Make friends. Share your SCOBY.

Nutrition

I am a board certified as a Certified Nutrition Specialist℠ Professional (CNS), through the CNBS.  Studying different ways of nourishing your body with food (aka “diets”), is the way I know exactly how you should be nourishing your body for optimal health and wellness, to support the reversal chronic conditions, and to simply feel fantastic!

Vegan? Paleo? Gluten-free?  No worries – I have a system that will work for you!

I have published numerous articles on nutrition and herbal medicine in regional and national magazines, and the peer-reviewed journal of Phytotherapy Research.  I have enjoyed teaching courses on wellness at the university level, and presenting topics related to herbal medicine and nutrition at the U.S. Botanic Gardens in Washington DC, national trade shows, and area businesses.

Prior to establishing a private practice in Neenah, Wisconsin, I practiced herbal medicine and nutrition in a number of clinics in the Washington DC area and Maryland.