Is olive oil healthy? (why are people avoiding oil?)
Posted on January 10, 2023 Leave a Comment
Oil is a processed food that is 100% fat. Dr. McDougall is correct that the “fat you eat is the fat you wear.” Oil is fattening and causes weight gain. People are fatter today because the rate of oil consumption has gone up.
One fatty meal impairs your blood vessel function for up to 8 hours after you eat it, which is why it’s called “sludge blood.”
Oils cause endothelial cell dysfunction and insulin resistance.
Red blood cells shape changes from smooth to having spikes to it, so it doesn’t flow as well.
Oils cause red blood cells to become deformed.
Olive oil is not a health food. When a study compares olive oil to pork fat or coconut oil, it’s a healthier fat, but it’s not a “healthy fat.”
Vegetable oil is healthier than butter, but there is no such thing as a healthy oil; all oils are unhealthy, and should be omitted from one’s diet.
Oils are one of the reasons why people are sick and overweight.
People with heart disease should especially avoid oils; the cause of heart disease is the accumulation of too much fat, so a low-fat diet, without oils, is best for heart health, and overall health.
Best plant-based, weight loss and disease reversal nutrition books
Posted on January 3, 2023 1 Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published January 3, 2023
When I was in severe pain with erythromelalgia and Raynaud’s, I spent every free moment reading books and articles, and watching videos to figure out what could be the culprit of my pain, and how to heal my body. The following disease reversal, plant-based, vegan, how-to books are my favorites. I am now pain-free from applying the knowledge and following the advice from these brilliant individuals.
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The BEST evidence-based, plant-based nutrition books on what causes disease
“The China Study,” by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, is a book that every physician, nurse and person should read. It goes into detail about large studies and what they found: why certain parts of the world were sicker, and some were virtually disease-free.
“Whole” is another fantastic book by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, that explains nutrition in detail, why it’s important to eat whole foods, not isolated nutrients, and how the pharmaceutical companies, medical establishments, and food industries shape government policies and conceal the cause of why people become ill.

Dr. Greger’s book titled, “How to Survive a Pandemic” should have been titled, “Foods that Cause Sudden Death and Chronic Disease: a Guide to Prevent the Next Pandemic.” This book discusses what goes on in slaughter houses and explains that there is no such thing as clean or healthy meat, chicken, eggs, fish, or pork because they all contain bacteria, viruses, hormones and endotoxins, which cannot be cooked off.
Animal foods are the causes of past pandemics: bats contain coronaviruses and chickens contain influenza, which get transmitted to other animals and humans.
To prevent future pandemics, people need to stop eating, transporting and handling animals. He provides specific information on what needs to be done to prevent future pandemics to avoid total destruction of our planet and the human species.
Dr. Greger provides sources and alerts the general public to what ranchers already know and hide: the way animals are held and killed for meat is dangerous, disgusting, filthy and harmful to the environment and humans; the only thing the meat and dairy industries care about is making as much money as possible.
The BEST plant-based book for diabetes with recipes
“Mastering Diabetes” is an excellent book for diabetics. It explains, in easy to understand language, what causes insulin resistance and how to reverse it. If you are a Type-1 diabetic, don’t dismiss this book; it will show you how to add more carbohydrates to your diet, while reducing the amount of insulin you need to administer.
There are recipes included in the back of the book, but they didn’t look tasty to me, and I’ve tried some of their other recipes from their website, which I didn’t care for. Buy the book for the valuable information, not the recipes.
The BEST plant-based book for hormonal issues with recipes

“Your Body in Balance,” by Dr. Neal Barnard, is a wonderfully written book. He writes the way he speaks, in simple terms that makes sense. He explains why hormones like testosterone goes to low, and estrogen gets elevated, and how to modify your diet to optimize health.
By changing one’s diet to the plant-based diet he proposes, his patients were able to get pregnant and no longer require surgery. I did not try any of recipes from this book because the recipes I’ve tried off his website were not to my liking (maybe I’m picky). Buy the book for the life-saving information.
The BEST plant-based book for disease reversal (for those who like pasta & bread)
“The Starch Solution” by Dr. McDougall, is a book I recommend to people who love bread, white rice and pasta and don’t want to give up these tasty, starchy carbohydrates. Dr. McDougall’s starch-based diet has allowed people to lose tons of pounds, and reverse diseases (even Lupus and MS); some of the recipes taste good too.
The BEST vegan, low-fat, plant-based, oil-free cookbook

The High-Five Diet is a compilation of nutritional information I learned from the above books (and numerous others), my story of food allergies, getting Type-1 diabetes in my 30’s, and two additional autoimmune conditions: Raynaud’s and erythromelalgia years later. I share what worked and didn’t work for weight loss, pain, and insulin resistance. I also include my favorite plant-based, no sugar, vegan recipes. The majority of the recipes are low-fat, gluten-free and oil-free.
The BEST vegan, whole food, plant-based, dessert cookbook
Slimming Dairy-Free Smoothies and Desserts is a vegan cookbook with decadent treats made with whole foods, such as nuts and fruit. I do not use flour or sugar in any of the recipes. The majority of the recipes are gluten-free and oil-free.
The BEST plant-based gut health book with recipes
“Fiber Fueled” is an excellent book for those with gut issues. Dr. Bulsiewicz, a gastroenterologist, explains why fiber is essential to gut health and disease reversal. There are recipes in the back of this book, but they are higher in fat (I eat a low-fat diet) so I’ve never tried them, buy they look delicious.
The BEST plant-based book with recipes for athletes

For anyone into fitness who doesn’t have a medical condition or is on medication,* who wants to learn how to gain strength, increase speed and agility, and reduce recovery time, “The Plant Based Athlete,” explains which foods to eat and which foods to avoid. It also provides many stories from an array of athletes, from body builders to Olympians, and what they eat to excel.
*If someone is on medication, then a stricter diet with less fat and the omission of processed foods like protein powders, is advised.
There are lots of recipes included The Plant-Based Athlete book, but I didn’t make any of those recipes, either because they didn’t appeal to me, they include dried fruit or processed foods like powders, or are high in fat (the book claims that athletes need a higher fat intake). Nevertheless, these recipes are superior in nutrition and taste compared to what most athletes currently eat, and are certain to boost blood flow, endurance, overall wellness and reduce the risk of disease.
Best book about the safety of GMO’s
Seeds of Deception by Jeffrey M. Smith explains that GMOs, genetically engineered foods, have been proven to be harmful to humans, animals, plants and the environment.
He explains which foods have been genetically modified, why GMO’s are allowed in the US and banned in Europe, how they can cause allergic reactions, have caused anaphylaxis & death, may provoke autoimmune attacks, could cause cancer, and why some people and scientists think GMO’s are safe and beneficial.
This book may be available at your library too.
And…
Check out my CLEAN plant-based foods list by clicking on the photograph below

Also…
Check out my CLEAN cosmetics list by clicking on the image below

Is soy good or bad for you? Does soy cause cancer?
Posted on December 27, 2022 Leave a Comment

Is soy good or bad for you? Doesn’t soy cause cancer? The theory that soy has estrogenic effects and increases estrogen levels and cancer risk has been debunked. The phytoestrogens in soy are actually protective against cancer, and those who eat more soy have a lowered risk of cancer.
Animal milk and animal products increase estrogen and contain estrogen, bacteria, hormones, cholesterol, viruses, and saturated animal fat.
Soy milk does not contain estrogen (or the gross items above), nor does it increase estrogen levels.
Soy milk is a healthy alternative to animal milks.
There are soy products that are harmful to health. The soy to avoid is GMO soy and isolated soy protein, which is found is protein powders, processed foods and bars.
The soy that is protective and healthy is organic tofu and organic edamame.
Soy is good for you and reduces cancer risk. You can eat soy every day, but it is a food that’s moderate in fat, so keep portion size to no more than six ounces per meal, which will contain about eight grams of healthy fats.
Pair tofu with vegetables for a nutritious, high-fiber, health-promoting meal.
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (plant-based, no sugar, oil-free, no dates)
Posted on December 20, 2022 Leave a Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published December 20, 2022
These chocolate peanut butter cups, also known as peanut butter cups, are not only sugar-free, vegan, oil-free, plant-based and don’t contain dates or dried fruit.
I also provide options to make these candies peanut-free.
My husband says they taste like frozen Reese’s peanut butter cups.
For the vegan chocolate filling ingredients:
- 3 large ripe bananas
- 3 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract, optional
- 3 teaspoons tahini, almond butter, cashew butter or peanut butter (salt & oil-free)
- 3 level tablespoons cocoa powder
For the toppings:
- chopped walnuts, toasted peanut halves or toasted chopped pecans
- peanut butter, almond butter, tahini or cashew butter (unsalted & oil-free)
- toasted coconut flakes, unsweetened, sulfur-free (optional)
Directions: Peel and break bananas into 1-inch pieces and blend in a small food processor until it resembles pudding. Add remaining ingredients to the food processor, mixing for about 1-minute; the mixture should now look like melted chocolate.
Add 3 pieces of chopped walnuts, 3 toasted peanut halves or 4-5 pieces toasted pecans to each mold. Pour chocolate filling into silicon candy molds.
Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter, almond butter, tahini or cashew butter on top, in the middle (the more, the better it tastes). Drizzle more chocolate on top to cover (optional).
For the tahini filled chocolates, I drizzled about ½ teaspoon tahini on the top of each chocolate cup. Sprinkle with coconut flakes on top, if desired.
It takes 3-5 hours to freeze through.
Below are the silicone candy molds I use:
If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree
Christmas Dance Workout video (easy dance moves)
Posted on December 17, 2022 Leave a Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published December 17, 2022
Someone on my YouTube channel asked me to make another Christmas exercise video this year, so I created this 10-minute Christmas Dance workout with easy moves that anyone can follow. I also added some holiday music to get you into the happy holiday spirit.
Press the red play button below to dance with me.
P.S. The Christmas cardio workout from last year is clickable at the end screen of this workout if you want to exercise to that one too.
If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree
Is tofu high in fat? (compare tofu fat content to other foods)
Posted on December 13, 2022 Leave a Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published December 13, 2022
Is tofu high in fat? Compared to what? A serving of tofu is 3 ounces, which is a small portion, and contains 4 grams of fat.
If you prefer to watch a video instead of reading this article, scroll to the bottom of this page
I try to limit my fat grams to 10 grams of fat per meal, with no more than 30 grams of fat per day.
If I compare 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of potatoes, tofu is more fattening than potatoes.
There’s 4 grams of fat in tofu compared to .1 grams of fat in potatoes.
If I compare 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of bananas, tofu is more fattening than bananas.
There’s 4 grams of fat in tofu compared to .3 grams of fat in bananas.

Photo by Couleur on Pexels.com
We know that vegetables and fruit are low in fat, so, let’s compare tofu, which is a bean, to garbanzo beans.

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com
If I compare 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of garbanzo beans, tofu is more fattening than garbanzos.
There’s 4 grams of fat in tofu compared to 2.4 grams of fat in garbanzo beans.
People use tofu in place of animal meat so let’s compare tofu to leaner animal meats and fatty salmon.
If I compare 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of skinless chicken breast, tofu is slightly more fattening than chicken by .2 grams. Chicken has cholesterol; tofu has zero cholesterol.

If I compare 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of sirloin tip steak, which is considered a lean red meat, the steak and tofu are roughly around the same fat content, with steak being a mere .2 grams less fat. The steak, while lower in fat, contains cholesterol; tofu and all plant foods do not contain cholesterol.

If I compare 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of wild salmon, salmon is much more fattening than tofu.
Tofu has 4 grams of fat; salmon has 6.9 grams of fat. (Omega 3 fats are in plants)
We know salmon is a fatty fish, so let’s compare tofu with a low-fat fish, such as tilapia. If I compare 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of tilapia, tofu is much more fattening than tilapia by about 2 grams.
If tofu is considered a high-fat food, let’s compare it to high-fat foods.
Most people don’t realize olives are high in fat. By comparing 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of black olives, olives have more than twice the fat than tofu.

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.com
Tofu has 4 grams of fat. Olives have 9.3 grams of fat. Luckily no one eats 21 olives at a time.
If I compare 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of tortilla chips, tortilla chips are more than 4 times as fattening as tofu.

With tofu at 4 grams of fat, tortilla chips have 17.6 grams of fat! Definitely choose a serving of tofu over tortilla chips with oil.

3 ounces of tofu verses 3 ounces of McDonald’s French fries, the fries have almost three times as much fat as tofu.

Tofu has 4 grams of fat, whereas the fries have 11.7 grams of fat.

Photo by Dzenina Lukac on Pexels.com
Walnuts are a healthy, but high-fat food. By comparing 3 ounces of tofu to 3 ounces of walnuts, the walnuts are more than 14 times as fattening as tofu.
A serving of tofu has 4 grams of fat and the same amount of walnuts, in ounces, have 56.7 grams of fat. Three ounces of walnuts are easy to eat, unfortunately.
A 3-ounce, generic, low-fat ice cream bar has 6 grams of fat, so the low-fat ice cream has more fat than tofu.
If I compare 3 ounces of tofu, to a 3-ounce burger from sonic burger, because the sonic burger was on the list of the 13 healthiest fast-food burgers recommended by nutritionists, the burger has more than twice the fat as tofu.

Photo by Dana Tentis on Pexels.com
A 3 oz sonic burger contains 10.5 grams of fat, whereas tofu has 4 grams of fat, for the same portion. Oh, and if a nutritionist considers an animal meat burger “healthy,” that nutritionist should have their certification revoked.
Oil is the highest fat food, so let’s see how tofu holds up to olive oil. Three ounces of olive oil, which is a little over 6 tablespoons, is a whopping 85 grams of fat, whereas the tofu at 4 grams of fat, seems tiny. If you want to lower the fat in your diet, and reduce bodyfat, avoid all oils.
In conclusion, beans and most fruits and vegetables are lower in fat than tofu, so tofu isn’t a low-fat food. Tofu has around the same amount of fat as some lean animal proteins. Tofu is much lower in fat than high-fat foods like olives, salmon, chips, fries, nuts, burgers, and oil.

The verdict: tofu is NOT a high-fat food.
Source: cronometer.com
If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree
How to be an effective plant-based communicator & vegan role model (5 rules to get anti-vegans to listen)
Posted on December 6, 2022 Leave a Comment
written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published December 27, 2022
Those of us who are vegan and have witnessed the benefits of avoiding dairy, meat, poultry, fish and eggs, find it frustrating and upsetting when people ignore what we say. The problem could be our messaging, how we present ourselves, and the words we use.
I created the following rules to enable vegans to be role models and effective plant-based communicators. (Keep reading or watch the video below where I share guidelines to encourage nonvegans to give up dairy and animal products).
Look the part. If you are overweight, people may dismiss a vegan diet as healthy because excess body fat is a sign of ill health. Many people choose unhealthy diets, like ketogenic diets because they want to lose weight and still eat fatty foods. It’s best to share the fact that you are vegan when you slim.
Slim people can discourage non-vegans to stop eating meat if vegans look disheveled, wear torn or dirty clothes, or have stained teeth. We don’t want to give the impression that vegans are poor, vegan food is expensive, or high carb diets cause tooth decay or an unsightly smile.
Act the part. If you are vegan, that means you don’t consume dairy, meat, poultry, fish and eggs…ever. If you cannot follow your own advice, how can you expect other people to? By giving excuses like, “There weren’t any vegan foods to eat at the wedding/work meeting/restaurant/event…,” etc., that paints the picture that eating a vegan exclusive diet is difficult and pins you as a hypocrite. Don’t be a hypocrite. People hate hypocrites.
Either eat before you go somewhere that may not have vegan options, bring food with you, or call ahead to see if the chef can make a vegan dish or side for you. Bring a banana, apple, box of raisins, granola, and fruit and nut bars wherever you go, which can satisfy a hunger craving easily and successfully. Being hungry is perfectly okay, you’re not going to die, lose muscle or harm your health if you skip a meal or eat later.
Keep fruit, nuts and seeds with you wherever you go. Just because you are hungry and there are no vegan options at a work event or gathering, doesn’t give you permission to eat animal products. You will not die or harm yourself if you miss a meal.
Be kind, courteous and respectful. Be kind, compassionate, courteous, and respectful to not just animals, and the planet, but also to other human beings. Most people haven’t been vegan since birth so remember back when you weren’t vegan; you probably didn’t know that animal milk and animal protein was harmful. How would you have felt if someone mocked you and made you feel bad for eating food everyone around you eats. We don’t want to be stereotyped as angry, condescending, know-it-all vegans.
Don’t tell people what to do. While it’s tempting to tell people not to eat animal products, no one likes being told what to do. Bossing people around usually backfires. Think back to when you were a teenager and your parents told you not to drink soda or smoke pot, it probably made you want to do those “bad things” which made you rebel, because rebels are often admired. Doing “bad” things sometimes makes people feel good.
Share stories. Instead of telling people what to eat and what not to eat, tell them why you decided to become vegan, what benefits you gained from giving up animal products. Also share stories of people you know that switched from a meat-centered diet to one solely of plants. No one can refute your experience or someone else’s.
What convinced me to go vegan was after watching the movie, The Game Changers, and learning that animal protein is harmful, and that vegans can be muscular and strong. I share the fact that my total cholesterol went from 201 to an average of 150, my blood sugar A1c went from 10.1 to under 6, my bodyfat percentage went from 25% to 16%, and I reduced my insulin resistance, when I gave up animal products and focused on plant-based, nutrient rich whole foods.
Watch the video below where I share the above information in more detail, and discuss with Peter Goldstein, additional effective and ineffective methods to get people to give up dairy and animal products. I also demonstrate how to make a delicious low-fat, plant-based apple dessert with banana cream.
Let me know in the comments below what statement, fact, book, video, story, person, or movie convinced you to go vegan.
If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree