Meatloaf is one of the easiest things you can make on a cold night when you need something hearty to eat. But the usual version of this meal is filled with fatty meat and very few vegetables. By changing the recipe and making an Asian style meatloaf, you can still enjoy this family favorite, but in a form that’s good for your health and your weight loss efforts. This version of meatloaf contains lots of healthy vegetables, which can help boost your immune system, and it can help your body recover from stress-related illnesses such as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS). And as an added bonus, it’s absolutely delicious too.
Traditional meatloaf is made with fatty minced beef, which is very bad for your health for a number of reasons. Most cattle are grain fed these days, which means that their meat is high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Beef is also full of antibiotics and hormones, which are used to improve the health and increase the weight of animals that are kept in horrific conditions. Cattle that are used for meat are usually kept in cramped quarters, which make feeding and cleaning the animals easier. Unfortunately, this also causes a number of health issues for the animals, which are then passed down through their meat. Because of this, organic beef is the best option if you are going to use it.
To avoid these problems though, this Asian style meatloaf is made with organic turkey meat, which is low in fat as long as it’s made without the skin, and contains plenty of protein. Eating some protein at each meal can help you feel fuller for longer, which can assist with your weight loss efforts and make it easier for you to adhere to your healthy eating goals. Turkey meat also provides a number of vitamins and minerals that your body needs, including the following:
Turkey also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that supports healthy serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that governs alertness and mood, so it’s important that you eat foods that help support and maintain the levels of this essential chemical. This is particularly important if you suffer from AFS, which often causes hormonal balances and low moods. So, by eating the Asian style meatloaf, you’re actually helping to relieve this common AFS symptom.
When choosing your minced turkey for the Asian style meatloaf, it’s important that you stay away from processed turkey meat. These meats are full of sodium and preservatives, which must be filtered by your body and can increase your body’s stress levels. Choose organic, lean, pasture-raised turkey that is antibiotic free to get the best health benefits from your meal. The meat will taste better as well.
Everyone knows that they need to eat more vegetables these days, and yet few people make the necessary changes to do so. In fact, most people worry that if they move away from a traditional western diet and eat mostly vegetables they’ll become protein deficient. But this is a baseless fear. Most people who eat a western diet are actually eating much more protein than their body needs, which is then stored as fat. So if you think that eating more protein will help with the fatigue caused by AFS, all you’re really doing is contributing to your weight problems.
This is one of the best benefits of the Asian style meatloaf. Instead of being pure meat, it includes a variety of vegetables that add to your vegetable intake and provide essential nutrients for your body. These added vegetables can help to correct nutrient deficiencies and eliminate some of the troubling symptoms that can result from dietary imbalances. Eating more vegetables can help reduce stress on your body, which can help your AFS recovery and nourish your overloaded adrenal glands.
Your adrenal glands are an essential component of your NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response. When you’re stressed, the NEM causes changes to occur in your body that help you cope with the stressful event. Usually, this system function well, and your body copes well with brief episodes of stress and goes back to normal functioning afterward.
However, because so many modern lifestyles impose chronic, ongoing stress, this system can become overworked. When this occurs, the adrenal glands become fatigued and stop operating at their full capacity, a disorder known as AFS.
AFS can cause a variety of frustrating symptoms including lethargy, weight gain, brain fog, intestinal problems, and palpitations. Unfortunately, because these symptoms are vague and can be attributed to a variety of issues and problems, many dismiss them or consider them a natural part of having a busy lifestyle. This is troubling because when left untreated, AFS can result in worsening symptoms, hormonal imbalances, and even dysfunctions of the central nervous system. This is why, if you suspect you have AFS, it’s important that you talk to an experienced professional as soon as possible.
Recovering from AFS requires ongoing change and a commitment to good health. Because stress is the primary cause of AFS, you need to remove sources of stress from your life and include more relaxing, healthy activities and life choices. And a big part of this is your diet. Your diet gives your body the fuel it needs to function properly, and if you don’t get the right combination of nutrients it can cause a great deal of stress. In addition, specific types of food can cause further problems for your overloaded system, which is why dietary changes are a huge part of AFS recovery.
The AFS diet is plant-based and includes a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. This diet is balanced and has benefits for every system in your body. This makes it good for people with AFS, as well as for those who don’t have adrenal problems but who want to reduce their body’s stress levels to stay healthy.
Unfortunately, traditional meatloaf, which is made with fatty meat and usually contains very few vegetables, can’t be included in this diet plan. However, by making a few changes, you can create a healthy Asian style meatloaf that tastes great and makes you feel great as well.
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Eating healthy foods is absolutely essential if you want to enjoy good health and to help your body recover from conditions such as AFS. By taking an old favorite and adding some new ingredients, you can make Asian style meatloaf a delicious reinterpretation of the old classic that both your body and your family will love. When trying to eat healthily, there’s no need to completely eliminate easy, filling dishes like meatloaf from your life. You just need to update it for the modern lifestyle and the health concerns that come with it.
© Copyright 2018 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
Meatloaf is an old family favorite that isn’t very good for you. But by altering the recipe to include your favorite vegetables and different meat, you can make an Asian style meatloaf that supplies you with lots of essential nutrients. And it will taste great too.
