As I watched the commentators lay out their dismal projections should Congress not act in time to avert a major economic crisis come August 2nd, I thought about what adjustments we might all have to make if things took a turn for the worse.
I'm sure we can't imagine the ramifications.
All of a sudden, things on our wish list to buy evaporate in light of what we need to survive.
That's simple. We need shelter and we need food.
I thought about that as I ate a dish of sauteed Swiss chard and onions flavored with balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, and tossed with some linguini, with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese on top. It cost pennies to prepare, and I have to say it was delicious.
Chard ranks higher than most vegetables in nutritional content. It's also easy to grow, and if it's protected and covered, it can survive well into the winter. Good to know.
As I savored that simple, very satisfying dinner with a glass of red wine, I realized we really don't need all that much. As long as you have olive oil and pasta in your pantry, you can easily prepare a combination of a variety of sauteed vegetables to mix with it ~ pretty much whatever you have available.
We need to be mindful of those things ~ how little we really need, and what's really important ~ our health.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
People Need Absolution ~ Not Reprimand!
So this proclivity to eat more bad stuff than good stuff is something we've come by honestly.
Does it feel like your brain is on autopilot as you repeatedly dip into that dwindling pile of salty, greasy potato chips? Researchers in California and Italy report that when rats were treated to fatty food, chemicals in their gut were released that made them feel "high". The conclusion is that certain foods set off strong chemical reactions in the body and the brain.
Don'tcha think?
Advertisers appear to have been onto that for awhile. Americans are addicted to that stuff, so they overeat.
Dr. David Kessler presents a lengthy argument to that effect in his book, "The End of Overeating." He lays out our path to addiction via a food industry built on sugar, fat and salt, that later expanded its financial horizons with the ability to chemically engineer just about any taste. Thus, because those chemicals accumulate as toxins in the body, we became chemically addicted.
So what role does good 'ol will power play in all of this? Probably in the decision whether or not to buy, but not when it's already sitting in a bowl in front of you. In that situation, most often you can be well on your way through several helpings before you realize it ~ unless, of course, you've taken time to notice what you're really hungry for.
If we're feeding cravings, we'll still be hungry ~ for whatever it is we're hungry for ~ nutrition, conversation, love, job satisfaction, less stress ~ any of those, and more.
We seek to be nurtured, physically and emotionally. But the fatty food choices aren't going to satisfy that. That's not reason for guilt. The key is to notice and be aware.
Once that awareness is there ~ the choices are much easier.
Does it feel like your brain is on autopilot as you repeatedly dip into that dwindling pile of salty, greasy potato chips? Researchers in California and Italy report that when rats were treated to fatty food, chemicals in their gut were released that made them feel "high". The conclusion is that certain foods set off strong chemical reactions in the body and the brain.
Don'tcha think?
Advertisers appear to have been onto that for awhile. Americans are addicted to that stuff, so they overeat.
Dr. David Kessler presents a lengthy argument to that effect in his book, "The End of Overeating." He lays out our path to addiction via a food industry built on sugar, fat and salt, that later expanded its financial horizons with the ability to chemically engineer just about any taste. Thus, because those chemicals accumulate as toxins in the body, we became chemically addicted.
So what role does good 'ol will power play in all of this? Probably in the decision whether or not to buy, but not when it's already sitting in a bowl in front of you. In that situation, most often you can be well on your way through several helpings before you realize it ~ unless, of course, you've taken time to notice what you're really hungry for.
If we're feeding cravings, we'll still be hungry ~ for whatever it is we're hungry for ~ nutrition, conversation, love, job satisfaction, less stress ~ any of those, and more.
We seek to be nurtured, physically and emotionally. But the fatty food choices aren't going to satisfy that. That's not reason for guilt. The key is to notice and be aware.
Once that awareness is there ~ the choices are much easier.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
It's a Gut Issue
What does your gut tell you?
Turns out, much much more than you think.
Studies strongly suggest that obesity may be strongly linked with what type of microbial activity is going on in our intestines. The theory now is that disease begins and finds resolution in the gut, because that's where our nutrients get absorbed and put to work ~ that is, if there's enough healthy bacteria there to do the job.
The interest in raw foods comes into play because raw foods in their purest state promote those healthy colonies of microbes that are ultimately essential to good nutrition. Toxins from processed foods and poor cooking create a sludge that interfers with the proliferation of that necessary bacterial activity, and it upsets the body's metabolic balance.
All those fiberous fruits and vegetables help sweep that sludge away to promote a climate where those probiotic microbes they deliver can survive and thrive.
They in turn provide a set point for optimum health.
Hippocrates must have intuited as much when he said: "Let food be they medicine and medicine by thy food."
Turns out, much much more than you think.
Studies strongly suggest that obesity may be strongly linked with what type of microbial activity is going on in our intestines. The theory now is that disease begins and finds resolution in the gut, because that's where our nutrients get absorbed and put to work ~ that is, if there's enough healthy bacteria there to do the job.
The interest in raw foods comes into play because raw foods in their purest state promote those healthy colonies of microbes that are ultimately essential to good nutrition. Toxins from processed foods and poor cooking create a sludge that interfers with the proliferation of that necessary bacterial activity, and it upsets the body's metabolic balance.
All those fiberous fruits and vegetables help sweep that sludge away to promote a climate where those probiotic microbes they deliver can survive and thrive.
They in turn provide a set point for optimum health.
Hippocrates must have intuited as much when he said: "Let food be they medicine and medicine by thy food."
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Benefits of Raw Food
Here's a little something I stumbled upon this week that is so delicious, easy and healthy!
It's a combo of chopped fresh produce ~ mainly colorful stuff like chopped purple cabbage, red and green peppers, carrots, broccoli, red and green onion, cilantro; and black and garbanzo beans. My husband put it altogether in a bowl and set it in the fridge after we had watched a DVD on eating raw foods.
A small cut of salmon or other meat, and it's a meal!
But meat isn't in the raw foods plan, you may say. True, but it is in most people's diets. So if you have a heaping serving of the vegetable dish I just mentioned, you won't be able to eat a large portion of anything else because it's loaded with fiber. A note ~ don't ruin what it has to offer by dousing it with dressing from the supermarket. Instead use lime or lemon juice, or balsamlc vinegar and olive oil.
I don't have health insurance, and so I consider eating fresh fruits and vegetables a major part of risk management. I'm not always good about avoiding sweet treats, but I have to say it's much easier the more vegetables and fruit I eat. And it's less costly and less time consuming, so there's the added benefit of reduced stress.
We can choose to nourish our bodies, and we can choose the most effective way of doing that! Healthy eating is affordable healthcare!
It's a combo of chopped fresh produce ~ mainly colorful stuff like chopped purple cabbage, red and green peppers, carrots, broccoli, red and green onion, cilantro; and black and garbanzo beans. My husband put it altogether in a bowl and set it in the fridge after we had watched a DVD on eating raw foods.
A small cut of salmon or other meat, and it's a meal!
But meat isn't in the raw foods plan, you may say. True, but it is in most people's diets. So if you have a heaping serving of the vegetable dish I just mentioned, you won't be able to eat a large portion of anything else because it's loaded with fiber. A note ~ don't ruin what it has to offer by dousing it with dressing from the supermarket. Instead use lime or lemon juice, or balsamlc vinegar and olive oil.
I don't have health insurance, and so I consider eating fresh fruits and vegetables a major part of risk management. I'm not always good about avoiding sweet treats, but I have to say it's much easier the more vegetables and fruit I eat. And it's less costly and less time consuming, so there's the added benefit of reduced stress.
We can choose to nourish our bodies, and we can choose the most effective way of doing that! Healthy eating is affordable healthcare!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Awareness Is Your Ticket for Change
A nugget to consider...When you are aware of what you are really hungry for, your relationship with food will never be the same.
That's because once you've paused long enough to notice what you are choosing and why you are choosing it, that awareness will always be there.
With awareness comes change, because regardless of what we choose from that point, the awareness in and of itself is transformational.
So there's no reason to be too cerebral about the whole food thing. Just relax and notice!
That's because once you've paused long enough to notice what you are choosing and why you are choosing it, that awareness will always be there.
With awareness comes change, because regardless of what we choose from that point, the awareness in and of itself is transformational.
So there's no reason to be too cerebral about the whole food thing. Just relax and notice!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
What Do You REALLY Gain From Coupon Shopping?
I caught a few minutes of that food coupon show on one of the cable channels today.
I've taken a stab at it a few times during those years when my kids were small. But I'm not so sure you gain much with all that bargain quantity. I have to question the nutritional value of a stockpile of all those boxes and cans ~ unless it's stored for a major disaster when grocery shelves are empty.
But barring that, my belief is you can still save a ton of money by just eating more simply and wasting less.
I made a meal for myself this evening with less food than many people throw out. I diced a quarter of a yellow squash, half a red bell pepper, a few slices of yellow onion and some fresh spinach and sauteed it in a bit of olive oil, along with some salt, pepper and basil for seasoning. Then I tossed that with some cooked linguini. It was quick, cheap, delicious and nutritious!
The remainder of those veggies can be tossed into the crockpot, along with some broccoli, carrots, celery, mushrooms and vegetable broth for a tasty soup for my granddaughters tomorrow. Not only that, with more fiber, they'll crave less later on in the afternoon. When they're hungry, they'll get some apple slices dipped in peanut butter.
I buy some canned stuff, but generally it's an array of beans when I don't have time to pressure cook them for soups and salads, diced tomatoes when they're not in season, and canned broths. I also stock my pantry with pasta, oatmeal, olive oil, peanut butter, raisins, salsas and several kinds of vinegars.
So with some fresh produce from the fridge, I can prepare a lot of different meals. If I want to incorporate some fish, or other meat for guests, I generally buy it that day, and the serving sizes are small. Why? Because we don't need that much protein to be healthy.
In fact, we don't need that much food to be healthy.
Want to save money? Instead of clipping coupons, spend your time planning meals with plenty of fiber, and drink plenty of water.
It's money in the bank because it's an investment in your health!
I've taken a stab at it a few times during those years when my kids were small. But I'm not so sure you gain much with all that bargain quantity. I have to question the nutritional value of a stockpile of all those boxes and cans ~ unless it's stored for a major disaster when grocery shelves are empty.
But barring that, my belief is you can still save a ton of money by just eating more simply and wasting less.
I made a meal for myself this evening with less food than many people throw out. I diced a quarter of a yellow squash, half a red bell pepper, a few slices of yellow onion and some fresh spinach and sauteed it in a bit of olive oil, along with some salt, pepper and basil for seasoning. Then I tossed that with some cooked linguini. It was quick, cheap, delicious and nutritious!
The remainder of those veggies can be tossed into the crockpot, along with some broccoli, carrots, celery, mushrooms and vegetable broth for a tasty soup for my granddaughters tomorrow. Not only that, with more fiber, they'll crave less later on in the afternoon. When they're hungry, they'll get some apple slices dipped in peanut butter.
I buy some canned stuff, but generally it's an array of beans when I don't have time to pressure cook them for soups and salads, diced tomatoes when they're not in season, and canned broths. I also stock my pantry with pasta, oatmeal, olive oil, peanut butter, raisins, salsas and several kinds of vinegars.
So with some fresh produce from the fridge, I can prepare a lot of different meals. If I want to incorporate some fish, or other meat for guests, I generally buy it that day, and the serving sizes are small. Why? Because we don't need that much protein to be healthy.
In fact, we don't need that much food to be healthy.
Want to save money? Instead of clipping coupons, spend your time planning meals with plenty of fiber, and drink plenty of water.
It's money in the bank because it's an investment in your health!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Eating Right Includes Supplements!
It's a fact.
That's because we're not eating our great-grandmother's vegetables!
Yes, there are plenty of those who will say if you eat right, you don't need supplements. And there is that concern that with the plethora that's out there, you may pick some that could interact badly with prescription medications you may be taking.
But to keep it simple here, my readings convince me that if you're eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, a good quality multi-vitamin and extra vitamin D3 is a great combination. There's lots of research out there supporting taking vitamin D3 because most of us don't get enough sunlight exposure to provide what our bodies need.
And the case for a multi vitamin is a no brainer because the mineral quality of our soils has been seriously depleted as a result of large scale growing practices. That's the reason why buying organic is mainly to avoid harmful pesticide levels, as opposed to a product that's as nutrient rich as what was grown decades ago.
Look for a whole foods vitamin, rather than those that are synthetically produced, because your body will metabolize them more efficiently.
If you are dealing with a serious health issue, however, consult a nutritionist for advice on higher levels of supplementing.
That's because we're not eating our great-grandmother's vegetables!
Yes, there are plenty of those who will say if you eat right, you don't need supplements. And there is that concern that with the plethora that's out there, you may pick some that could interact badly with prescription medications you may be taking.
But to keep it simple here, my readings convince me that if you're eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, a good quality multi-vitamin and extra vitamin D3 is a great combination. There's lots of research out there supporting taking vitamin D3 because most of us don't get enough sunlight exposure to provide what our bodies need.
And the case for a multi vitamin is a no brainer because the mineral quality of our soils has been seriously depleted as a result of large scale growing practices. That's the reason why buying organic is mainly to avoid harmful pesticide levels, as opposed to a product that's as nutrient rich as what was grown decades ago.
Look for a whole foods vitamin, rather than those that are synthetically produced, because your body will metabolize them more efficiently.
If you are dealing with a serious health issue, however, consult a nutritionist for advice on higher levels of supplementing.
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