If you want your nutrition strategy in a word, it's "fiber."
It's a veritable "silver bullet," guaranteed to reduce cravings, shed pounds; and clear your arteries, as well as your head.
To gain such impressive results, especially if you're dealing with any of those illnesses that result from inflammation in the body, you probably need to get at least 30 to 35 grams of fiber ~ ideally, closer to 40.
That said, eating well couldn't be simpler!
That's because you have to eat a lot to get that much fiber, and you won't find it in the bad stuff! It resides in the pulp and the skins and the sinew of fruits and vegetables. Nuts and beans are also good sources of fiber.
So it's not about "going without", because once you start making regular fiber deposits in your diet, your cravings for things like sugar, fat and salt won't be as great.
Not a small part of this journey is drinking water. It's the elixir of life!
They've been telling us to drink eight glasses of water a day for as long as I can remember (which is a very long time!). There's good reason. Water helps to flush out all the toxins that break loose from your liver as you eat these very cleansing foods.
The good news is you don't have to be a cook, or follow a bunch of recipes.
A meal can be as simple as cooking up some rice, and spooning some sauteed veggies over it. Or you can prepare a baked potato, but instead of adding butter and sour cream, top it with some steamed broccoli (diced), a little sauteed onion, some shredded cheddar cheese, and some black beans. Add a dollap of Greek yogurt, and you're ready to dine!
And you don't need much protein in the way of meat. A portion the size of a deck of cards is plenty, and you don't need to eat it every day.
Fiber is a great investment for your health. It's not expensive, and it can make a huge difference in how you feel.
Think of it as "affordable health care"!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Children Are Watching
Besides the benefits to my own health, probably the most unforeseen benefit of my efforts to eat well has been its effect on my granddaughters.
They've spent a lot of time with me since they were babies, and they've watched me as I've prepared food for the table. I guess I always heard that example was stronger than words, but now I know it.
(Had I "gotten it" earlier as a parent, I would have spent far less time preaching to my kids about how I thought things should be.)
My oldest granddaughter pays attention to what she eats. My daughter tells me when they visit Texas Roadhouse or a McDonald's, she's more apt to order a salad. Her younger sister, on the other hand, enjoys a wider range of foods, some good and some not so good, but at least she notices.
That's what mindful eating is all about. Just noticing.
So when you load up your grocery cart, consider what you're putting in there.
Your kids are watching.
They've spent a lot of time with me since they were babies, and they've watched me as I've prepared food for the table. I guess I always heard that example was stronger than words, but now I know it.
(Had I "gotten it" earlier as a parent, I would have spent far less time preaching to my kids about how I thought things should be.)
My oldest granddaughter pays attention to what she eats. My daughter tells me when they visit Texas Roadhouse or a McDonald's, she's more apt to order a salad. Her younger sister, on the other hand, enjoys a wider range of foods, some good and some not so good, but at least she notices.
That's what mindful eating is all about. Just noticing.
So when you load up your grocery cart, consider what you're putting in there.
Your kids are watching.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
This Farm Bill Ain't "Small Potatoes"
While the pending Farm Bill legislation may not be as intriguing as who Tom Kat will choose next, it will have much more impact on our lives.
Depending on how it plays out, we could see huge reductions in Food Stamp allocations at a time when 1/3 of U.S. children live in poverty; relaxed regs on food inspection, living conditions for animals that will eventually become meat, and the proliferation of GMO's.
Also pending is how much subsidy will be allowed for commodities, particularly corn. Corn, of course, being the staple for high fructose corn syrup that is an ingredient in75 percent of what lies on grocery store shelves and contributes heavily (no pun intended) to the obesity crisis.
What if the bill evolved from the platform that every American should be well and able so that they can play a contributing role in our society? How about that?
Keep in mind that about $300 billion will be divied up per this legislation.
How about starting with what's available in the food basket? Lots of fruits and vegetables? It's an underpinning for good health, so why not subsidize farmers who provide them, particularly if they are organic. Or provide incentives to families who grow their own?
Would we not logically wean ourselves from corn products and lose some of those extra pounds?
Of course, then, we'd want the meat we buy to be raised in sanitary, humane conditions because we're going to be eating it!
And we'd certainly want to be able to hire enough food inspectors to avoid deadly food poisoning, as was the case with Colorado cantalope last year.
This would be assuming we actually view people as the human capital that we absolutely rely on, every day, to show to gas up our airplanes, deliver our food, stock our shelves, and care for us when we're sick.
Three hundred billion dollars spent with those things in mind could go a long way towards making us a healthier nation.
Contact your Congressman. Then let's see what happens.
Depending on how it plays out, we could see huge reductions in Food Stamp allocations at a time when 1/3 of U.S. children live in poverty; relaxed regs on food inspection, living conditions for animals that will eventually become meat, and the proliferation of GMO's.
Also pending is how much subsidy will be allowed for commodities, particularly corn. Corn, of course, being the staple for high fructose corn syrup that is an ingredient in75 percent of what lies on grocery store shelves and contributes heavily (no pun intended) to the obesity crisis.
What if the bill evolved from the platform that every American should be well and able so that they can play a contributing role in our society? How about that?
Keep in mind that about $300 billion will be divied up per this legislation.
How about starting with what's available in the food basket? Lots of fruits and vegetables? It's an underpinning for good health, so why not subsidize farmers who provide them, particularly if they are organic. Or provide incentives to families who grow their own?
Would we not logically wean ourselves from corn products and lose some of those extra pounds?
Of course, then, we'd want the meat we buy to be raised in sanitary, humane conditions because we're going to be eating it!
And we'd certainly want to be able to hire enough food inspectors to avoid deadly food poisoning, as was the case with Colorado cantalope last year.
This would be assuming we actually view people as the human capital that we absolutely rely on, every day, to show to gas up our airplanes, deliver our food, stock our shelves, and care for us when we're sick.
Three hundred billion dollars spent with those things in mind could go a long way towards making us a healthier nation.
Contact your Congressman. Then let's see what happens.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Dogs Should Eat Well, Too!
My nine-year-old dog was getting pretty fat, eventhough I was walking him him every day. Logic told me that if I fed him less, eventually he'd weigh less.
I couldn't figure out why that wasn't working until my daughter made the observation that he wouldn't lose weight until he started eating better. She said the chow he was eating was comprised of more fat than nutrients, and until I purchased a higher quality dog food, nothing was going to change.
It hit me that for all I have to say about eating well, I had failed to apply that knowledge to what I fed my dog.
So I invested in a better brand of dog food, kept up the exercise, and in a little over a week I noticed he looked a little bit slimmer.
Of course, it's no different for anyone who wants to drop some weight. Start eating more nutrient-packed foods and your body will begin to reshape itself by dropping excess weight.
You don't save a thing by buying cheap food, for yourself, or for your pets. What you don't invest in quality food will end up getting spent on visits to the doctor or to the veterinarian!
I couldn't figure out why that wasn't working until my daughter made the observation that he wouldn't lose weight until he started eating better. She said the chow he was eating was comprised of more fat than nutrients, and until I purchased a higher quality dog food, nothing was going to change.
It hit me that for all I have to say about eating well, I had failed to apply that knowledge to what I fed my dog.
So I invested in a better brand of dog food, kept up the exercise, and in a little over a week I noticed he looked a little bit slimmer.
Of course, it's no different for anyone who wants to drop some weight. Start eating more nutrient-packed foods and your body will begin to reshape itself by dropping excess weight.
You don't save a thing by buying cheap food, for yourself, or for your pets. What you don't invest in quality food will end up getting spent on visits to the doctor or to the veterinarian!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Heat, Fires & Savoring What We Have
Nothing reframes priorities like natural disasters, and the record-breaking heat wave we're experiencing in this country is doing just that. As crops burn in the fields and water evaporates, it's easy to translate what's important.
Food and water.
You can forget the paper money you've got stashed away, or the pulse on your 401K. Without water to drink, or healthy food on the table, it means "nada"!
The visual for me is that less than a mile from my home, the Colorado River is ankle-deep, while smoke billows on the horizon above the Bookcliffs from a fire that has raged for days. Over in Colorado Springs, over 300 families have lost their homes to fires of epic proportion there.
All of a sudden, giving thought to which shade of paint to select for my kitchen walls or which style of sandal to purchase seems glaringly inappropriate in the light of what appear to be obvious shifts from life as we know it.
Am I a doomsdayer?
No. That would be to focus on hand-wringing or mindless distractions.
Every day of our lives, there are choices that lie before us as to how we might play a better role in our world.
I believe it begins with gratitude.
For me, I'm grateful that I even have a kitchen, or a strong body so I can do the things I need to do ~ with or without new sandals!
And if you have good food to eat and fresh, clean water to drink, don't miss any opportunity to whisper a prayer of thanks!
Food and water.
You can forget the paper money you've got stashed away, or the pulse on your 401K. Without water to drink, or healthy food on the table, it means "nada"!
The visual for me is that less than a mile from my home, the Colorado River is ankle-deep, while smoke billows on the horizon above the Bookcliffs from a fire that has raged for days. Over in Colorado Springs, over 300 families have lost their homes to fires of epic proportion there.
All of a sudden, giving thought to which shade of paint to select for my kitchen walls or which style of sandal to purchase seems glaringly inappropriate in the light of what appear to be obvious shifts from life as we know it.
Am I a doomsdayer?
No. That would be to focus on hand-wringing or mindless distractions.
Every day of our lives, there are choices that lie before us as to how we might play a better role in our world.
I believe it begins with gratitude.
For me, I'm grateful that I even have a kitchen, or a strong body so I can do the things I need to do ~ with or without new sandals!
And if you have good food to eat and fresh, clean water to drink, don't miss any opportunity to whisper a prayer of thanks!
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Mindfulness Isn't Thinking!
There's a veritable "mindfulness" movement going on!
I've married it to "eating" in my blog entries, but it's so much larger than that. And, if you apply mindfulness to eating, you can then apply it to the other areas of your life.
When you create enough space in time to step back and be aware of your food choices, eventually you will find it easier to act on that awareness and make better choices. The other benefit is that when you create some space in time, a pause, you begin to ratchet down your stress level.
The reason "mindfulness" is resonating now is because we're all wound way too tight trying to control everything as the ground shifts beneath us ~ and we're finding that our inner terrain is all we can really count on.
When it comes to that universal challenge of eating well, our minds run like hamsters in a cage as we research the best way to do it, make a plan, and then mentally flog ourselves when we don't make it happen.
But in that calming arena of "mindfulness," we discover that we're not in this to "win," because there is no finish line. Every moment is our opportunity to feel better, and the food choices that we make play a very large part in that because the better the food, the more energy is delivered at a cellular level.
We've been so programmed to investing our efforts in the future, or worthlessly, in the past, that we neglect the very real opportunities before us, right now.
To be mindful, or fully present in the moment, is our reset button.
We all get caught up in the momentum of the things we have to do everyday. Just don't let your food choices become a part of that blur.
Take some time and savor something that you know is good for you!
I've married it to "eating" in my blog entries, but it's so much larger than that. And, if you apply mindfulness to eating, you can then apply it to the other areas of your life.
When you create enough space in time to step back and be aware of your food choices, eventually you will find it easier to act on that awareness and make better choices. The other benefit is that when you create some space in time, a pause, you begin to ratchet down your stress level.
The reason "mindfulness" is resonating now is because we're all wound way too tight trying to control everything as the ground shifts beneath us ~ and we're finding that our inner terrain is all we can really count on.
When it comes to that universal challenge of eating well, our minds run like hamsters in a cage as we research the best way to do it, make a plan, and then mentally flog ourselves when we don't make it happen.
But in that calming arena of "mindfulness," we discover that we're not in this to "win," because there is no finish line. Every moment is our opportunity to feel better, and the food choices that we make play a very large part in that because the better the food, the more energy is delivered at a cellular level.
We've been so programmed to investing our efforts in the future, or worthlessly, in the past, that we neglect the very real opportunities before us, right now.
To be mindful, or fully present in the moment, is our reset button.
We all get caught up in the momentum of the things we have to do everyday. Just don't let your food choices become a part of that blur.
Take some time and savor something that you know is good for you!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Why Do We Do What We Always Did?
(I've taken a break while I dealt with allergies this past month ~ Now I'm back at my keyboard!)
So why is it that we choose foods, or drinks, we know are going to make us feel bad later? Why is it that despite previous experience, we continue to do what we said we wouldn't? Part of it has to do with the definition of insanity: Doing the same think over and over again, but hopin for different results.
It's the "hoping" part.
We "hope" to feel better. We "hope" to lose weight. We "hope" we'll make better choices ~ next time.
"Hoping" implies that something's going to happen without any participation from us. Of course, there may be some real physicial addictions at play that we need to recognize and be aware of.
But if we ever want to change our lives, we have to, by intention, put ourselves out there. It starts with looking closely at what we believe about ourselves.
Do we believe we deserve to feel better? That we deserve to nurture ourselves with good food?
We make the choices that we do becuase there is some perceived reward for us ~ maybe just calming uncomfortable emotions, or feeding some emotional hunger that we mistake for physical hunger.
Knowing that what we seek isn't to be found in that bag of salty potato chips is a start. Then find something that really does nurture you and choose that instead!
So why is it that we choose foods, or drinks, we know are going to make us feel bad later? Why is it that despite previous experience, we continue to do what we said we wouldn't? Part of it has to do with the definition of insanity: Doing the same think over and over again, but hopin for different results.
It's the "hoping" part.
We "hope" to feel better. We "hope" to lose weight. We "hope" we'll make better choices ~ next time.
"Hoping" implies that something's going to happen without any participation from us. Of course, there may be some real physicial addictions at play that we need to recognize and be aware of.
But if we ever want to change our lives, we have to, by intention, put ourselves out there. It starts with looking closely at what we believe about ourselves.
Do we believe we deserve to feel better? That we deserve to nurture ourselves with good food?
We make the choices that we do becuase there is some perceived reward for us ~ maybe just calming uncomfortable emotions, or feeding some emotional hunger that we mistake for physical hunger.
Knowing that what we seek isn't to be found in that bag of salty potato chips is a start. Then find something that really does nurture you and choose that instead!
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