Media: Would They Mislead Us?

The big news this week...Organic food has no more nutritional value than non-organic food.  I don't think the point is what it has more of, the point is what it has less of.   Organic meat is hormone free and organic fruits and vegetables are pesticide free.  People are becoming more aware of how food today is affecting our health.  The food industry doesn't like this because it is harder to produce safe food.   Organic can be very expensive.   I prefer to spend my money at the grocery store rather than at the doctor's office.  We have very little organic vegetables available where I live which also makes it very difficult to buy all organic.  I buy what I can find and I order my meat online from a farm that raises animals natural and hormone free.  It's not too expensive for me now that I eat very little meat.  When I choose to eat meat I want it to be good quality.  Below are a few suggestions for cleaning non-organic produce.  Do not clean until you are ready to eat it, because doing so will decrease its shelf life.

Lemon/Baking Soda Wash

1 Tbsp. lemon juice – (natural disinfectant) 2 Tbsp. baking soda (neutralises the PH level of pesticides)

 

Vinegar/Salt Wash

1/4 cup vinegar (cleans the fruits and vegetables and neutralizes most pesticides)
2 Tbsp. salt (draws out dirt and insects)
  

Lemon/Vinegar Wash

1 Tbsp. Lemon juice – (natural disinfectant) 2 Tbsp. Vinegar (cleans the fruits and vegetables neutralizes most pesticides)

Just fill a sink or a large bowl with water and the above ingredients (depending on the method you choose) and let the vegetables sit for about 20minutes then rinse or else you can fill an empty water bottle and spray onto your produce and then rinse and wipe.

This is what is called the dirty dozen, try to buy organic when possible.  They are the heaviest in pesticide residue:

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Sweet bell peppers
4. Peaches
5. Strawberries
6. Imported nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Spinach
9. Lettuce
10. Cucumbers
11. Domestic blueberries
12. Potatoes
And on the "Dirty Dozen Plus" list:
+ Green beans
+ Kale/collard greens

The fruits and vegetables with the least amount of pesticide residue make up a list of the “Clean 15":

1. Onions
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Cabbage
6. Sweet peas
7. Asparagus
8. Mangoes
9. Eggplant
10. Kiwi
11. Domestic cantaloupe
12. Sweet potatoes
13. Grapefruit
14. Watermelon
15. Mushrooms

Food for thought: 


Whether you go totally organic or opt to mix conventional and organic foods, be sure to keep these tips in mind:

• Select a variety of foods from a variety of sources. This will give you a better mix of nutrients and reduce your likelihood of exposure to a single pesticide.
• Buy fruits and vegetables in season when possible. To get the freshest produce, ask your grocer what day new produce arrives. Or check your local farmers market.
• Read food labels carefully. Just because a product says it's organic or contains organic ingredients doesn't necessarily mean it's a healthier alternative. Some organic products may still be high in sugar, salt, fat or calories.
• Wash and scrub fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water. Washing helps remove dirt, bacteria and traces of chemicals from the surface of fruits and vegetables. Not all pesticide residues can be removed by washing, though. You can also peel fruits and vegetables, but peeling can mean losing some fiber and nutrients

Recipe of the day: 

Taco Salad


Whole wheat tortillas baked in these nifty little pans I found at Ross'

Fat free re-fried beans topped with romaine lettuce, onion, green pepper, salsa, and greek yogurt.

Very quick and simple but delicious.  It's amazing with the re-fried beans I don't miss the meat at all.

 

Summertime Blues

The summer is quickly passing.  It has been a really hot and stormy one.  I seem to be stuck on my 25 pound weight loss.  Can't seem to get past that mark.  I have pretty much learned this way of eating and really enjoy it.  I mostly enjoy that I feel better when I eat right.  The summer vacations haven't helped with the weight loss.  I choose wisely but tend to it more meat when I am away.  It is hard to get the legumes I need eating out.  The legumes are needed to help with hunger.  Therefore, I eat some meat to keep me full.  I know that is part of the reason the weight loss has slowed down.  My aim to be at my goal by October is approaching fast.  In my last post I said I would never give up, and I won't.  I may not be where I want to be yet but at least I am not where I was.

Update to one of my previous recipes.  I tried the cauliflower pizza crust tonight using vegan cheese.  It worked great.

Recipe of the day:

Quinoa Bean Salad

 Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 1/2 cups cooked white beans or 1 (15 ounce) can no salt added or low sodium white beans, drained

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup raisins

1 cup raw walnuts, chopped

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce

Instructions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions.

Place all other ingredients in a large bowl and mix.

Add cooked quinoa and toss.

This is even better when refrigerated overnight to blend flavors.  I ate this in a pita pocket and it was delicious.

Food for thought: 

We may be required to buy medical insurance, but what we really need is health insurance

The Affordable Care Act was intended to make insurance coverage more secure and affordable, and insure millions of uninsured Americans. The Supreme Court has now deemed the individual mandate portion – the requirement that everyone purchase health insurance – to be constitutional.

Certainly, some aspects of medical insurance coverage are in need of reform. But a much greater need exists – the need for Americans to reform their health by reforming their diets.
Of course there will be continued debate on this subject, but when we look at the big picture (the overall health of the American people), the Supreme Court’s decision and even government involvement is irrelevant. Regardless of the government’s involvement, the health of Americans will not improve unless the eating habits of Americans improve.
The U.S. per capita health costs are the highest in the world. Health care made up more than 17% of the GDP in 2010. Health care costs rose 5.8% in the year ending February 2012, and costs are predicted to continue rising. As health care costs rise, so will insurance costs. Overconsumption of medical care (for example, overuse of diagnostic tests) is a significant driver of health care costs.¹
These high costs do not bring about better outcomes than other developed countries. In the U.S. life expectancy is lower than in similarly developed nations whose per capita costs are lower.²  The U.S. is ranked 38th in life expectancy, 37th in infant mortality, and 37th in overall health outcomes, according to the World Health Organization. We cannot expect the Affordable Care Act to significantly improve the health of Americans – its aim is only to increase access to care, which also mean more needless drugs, radiation exposure and surgeries. More medical care does not translate into better health, as much of what doctors do is harmful, such as prescribe antibiotics for viral infections, perform angioplasties and bypass surgeries on stable CAD, or perform CT scans, prostatectomies and other worthless, expensive invasive interventions that serve to protect the doctor, not the patient. Actually interventions that do not extend life are worse than worthless because they create harm. People should not be denied access to care in emergencies, but overall our population (including lower income people) need less medical care, not more.  (Dr. Fuhrman's Newsletter)
Read more and comment at DiseaseProof.com

Never EVER give up!

Now that it is summer I am reinventing what to eat.  There are so many fresh fruits and vegetables that it is easy to get those into my daily diet.  However, bean soups are just hard to do when it is 90 plus degrees outside.  I did a search for cold bean salads yesterday and I found a real winner:  Black bean mango salad.  I will include the recipe, with some changes I made.  It was delicious.  What I found eating a whole food diet is that it isn't that difficult and I stay so full.  It is fun finding new recipes to try.  Today I am fixing Summer Fruit Pie.  I will let you know on the next post how it turned out.

The past few months I have really been more in maintenance mode and have eaten some things that I really should not have been eating.  I had my physical last week.  My numbers were good, but up from 3 months ago which shows how much diet affects our system.  I had lost 7 lbs since I was last in and my doctor was thrilled.  My blood pressure was excellent.   I have been off my blood pressure medicine for one week now and this morning it was 113/72.   It feels good not to be on any medication at all.

Anyone that has been overweight knows how easy it is to get discouraged.  I have lost 25 pounds since October 8th, but really feel I should be at my goal weight by now.  My cousin and her husband have been on the plan 9 weeks.  He has lost 33 pounds and she has lost 23 pounds.  They both feel great and no longer have unhealthy cravings.  I am so proud of them.  You can see where I feel discouraged:  9 WEEKS......8 MONTHS.  I beat myself up for a while, but then decided to be proud that I have lost the 25 pounds rather than continue to gain.  I have given myself a goal to be at my ideal weight by my one year anniversary on the plan.  If it happens sooner, that would be great but I will never give up or go back to eating my old way.  I have received so many other benefits, such as normal blood pressure and I feel good.  I look "a little" better too.  As Jim Valvano said: Never EVER give up.  (Yes, I am a NC State fan)

Food for Thought:

Certain foods promote breakdown of bone and osteoporosis. Other foods supply the body with the nutrients necessary to build and maintain healthy, strong bones.

The worst foods for bone health:

• Excessive consumption of animal protein and other high protein foods leave acidic residues in the blood, and the body responds by dissolving bone to release basic calcium salts to neutralize the acid, which results in loss of calcium in the urine. Many studies have found animal protein intake to be associated with low bone mass.^7,8 In contrast, plant protein intake is associated with decreased hip fractures in the elderly.⁹ Natural plant foods do not leave an acidic residue in the blood or promote urinary calcium excretion.¹⁰
• Too much salt promotes the excretion of calcium in the urine.¹¹
• Caffeine also contributes to urinary calcium loss. High caffeine intake is associated with increased bone loss and osteoporotic fractures.^12,13
• Soda, including diet and decaffeinated soda, is associated with bone loss.^14,15 Soda consumption increases parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the blood, which increases blood calcium concentrations by stimulating bone breakdown. This increased blood calcium is then excreted in the urine.¹⁶

The best foods:

Whole plant foods are the best foods for bones. Studies show that individuals with the highest consumption of fruit and vegetables have the strongest bones.^17,18

• Beans, seeds, and greens. A diet full of natural plant foods provides the calcium and other bone-building phytochemicals and micronutrients required to build strong bones. Green vegetables in particular are rich calcium sources. For example, one four-ounce serving of steamed kale has just as much calcium as one cup of milk. Broccoli, bok choy, spinach, sesame seeds, and garbanzo beans are also excellent calcium sources. Furthermore, the body absorbs over 50% of the calcium in green vegetables, compared to only 32% of the calcium in milk.¹⁹
• Green vegetables are high in vitamin K, which is a crucial component for maintaining healthy bones.²⁰
• Nuts and seeds are rich in magnesium, an essential mineral for the formation of bone tissue.²¹ They also help maintain adequate calorie and protein intake, to maintain muscle and bone mass without having to rely on high acid-forming animal products.

The point is that a nutritarian diet is not only designed for heart disease and cancer protection and for normalization of body weight, but it also is healthiest for your bones. Combined with Vitamin D adequacy and exercise, you can have healthy bones for life.     Dr. Fuhrman

Recipe of the day: 

Black Bean Mango Salad

2 cans of low sodium black beans
1 green pepper
1 small onion
1 cup of fresh or frozen corn
1 cup of diced mango (I used a little more)
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 clove of minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/4 of pear infused vinegar (or your favorite)
Romaine Lettuce

If using fresh corn on the cob, steam for 7 minutes or until tender, drain, cool and cut off kernels close to the cob.  Mix all ingredients, except lettuce.  Let stand for at least 15 minutes.  Serve on top of lettuce

---

---

---

---

---

Mountains and Valleys

We were on level ground when we started this climb.

While I was on vacation, I accomplished two things.  I climbed a mountain and I only gained one pound in 16 days.  I would never have been able to climb that mountain carrying 25 extra pounds.  It was close with the extra weight I am still carrying, but I did it!  There was some cheating, but I also exercised a lot of control.   I have been on this plan for 7 months now so you would think it would be easy. It is easy when you start to slip to just slide. I did well on the trip, but the little cheating while I was gone has led to more cheating since I have been back. I have been lucky so far that the weight hasn't piled back own. I have got to go through the cleaning process again and cut out everything or else I will slowly but surely go back to old habits and the old weight. I also have more to lose so I can't stay in a maintaining mode. It is way too easy to fall back into old habits. 

Last night we had a dinner party for Kenny's work.  Instead of cooking healthy the way I would normally cook, it seemed I tried to see how bad I could be.  Of course, as hostess I managed to eat all the wrong things.  Why is that?  I have delicious recipes that I could have used and probably they would have loved them.  Now this morning, I feel bad.  Eating the wrong things make me feel physically bad.  It also plays with my emotions of why did I do that.  One thing you learn is you cannot go back and undo what you have already done and you cannot let it be a ticket to just give up.   One day or a couple of weeks is very small in comparison to a lifetime.  What matters is what I do now from this day forward.  I have chosen to eat healthy and that is what I will do.  Life it not without temptation and there will be mountains to climb.  I will climb them one day at a time and one day I will notice the breathing will be lighter and lighter.  :)

Food for Thought:  (I haven't had a diet soda in 7 months)

Drinking diet soda depletes the body’s calcium

The average American drinks 216 liters of soda each year.¹ Soda drinking has previously been associated with lower bone mineral density in women and children^2,3 and one study in particular has focused specifically on the effects of diet soda on bone health. The authors commented that this research was sparked by the observation that diet soda drinking behaviors are often different than regular soda drinking behaviors – women often use diet sodas in an effort to avoid weight gain – either to stave off hunge r between meals or as a replacement for calorie-containing beverages. Many women drink over 20 diet sodas per week.⁴ These researchers discovered that parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations rise strongly following diet soda consumption. PTH functions to increase blood calcium concentrations by stimulating bone breakdown, and as a result release calcium from bone.
In the study, women aged 18-40 were given 24 ounces of either diet cola or water on two consecutive days, and urinary calcium content was measured for three hours. Women who drank diet cola did indeed excrete more calcium in their urine compared to women who drank water. The authors concluded that this calcium loss may underlie the observed connection between soda drinking and low bone mineral density.⁵
Although caffeine is known to increase calcium excretion and promote bone loss⁶, caffeine is likely not the only bone-harming ingredient in sodas. A 2006 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found consistent associations between low bone mineral density and caffeinated and non-caffeinated cola (both regular and diet), but not other carbonated beverages.⁷ One major difference between the two is the phosphoric acid in colas, absent from most other carbonated beverages.
In the Western diet, phosphorus is commonly consumed in excess – at about 3 times the recommended levels, whereas dietary calcium often low. Although phosphorus is an important component of bone mineral, a high dietary ratio of phosphorus to calcium can increase parathyroid hormone secretion, which is known to increase bone breakdown. Studies in which women were given increasing quantities of dietary phosphorus found increases in markers of bone breakdown and decreases in markers of bone formation.^8,9 Therefore it is likely that the phosphorus content of colas triggers calcium loss.

There is nothing healthy about diet soda. It is simply water with artificial sweeteners and other chemical additives, such as phosphoric acid. The safety of artificial sweeteners is questionable, and they provoke the release of insulin and other hormones that regulate blood glucose; their intense sweetness confuses the body, which naturally associates sweet taste with calories – over time, these mixed signals can lead to increased appetite and weight gain.¹⁰ Diet sodas don't just weaken our bones, they are linked to kidney dysfunction and promote obesity; furthermore, in a recent study, older adults who drank diet soda daily had a 43% increased risk of heart attack or stroke compared to those that never drank diet soda.¹¹

Click here to comment on this article at diseaseproof.com  (Taken from Dr. Fuhrman's newsletter.)

Recipe of the day:

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Cranberries Serves: 8 Preparation Time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced 3/4 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup orange juice
Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Place sweet potatoes in a large baking dish. 3. Top with diced apples, cranberries, and raisins. 4. Pour orange juice over all. 5. Cover tightly with lid or foil. 6. Bake for 1 & 1/4 hours or until sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

 

6 Months - 23 Pounds

It has been 6 months since I began a new way of eating.  I can't believe it has been that long.  It really doesn't seem like it at all.  6 months since I have had a diet soft drink, artificial sweetener, sugar, white bread, dairy, or more than 12 ozs. of meat a week.  To be honest there may have been a week that I went over the 12 ozs. but not by much.  There have also been weeks that I didn't eat the meat at all.  I am sure there has been some sugar also, because anything you buy already cooked has some sugar in it.  My desserts have been made only of fruit or sweetened with fruit.  I also have not had acid reflux or a feeling of despair when I step on the scales.  I wish the weight would come off a little faster but this has been a healthy way to lose and it will continue to come off until I am at my ideal weight.

This weekend we were visiting our son in Hilton Head and ate out a lot.  I ate a seafood dip one night and she crab soup one night.  Both are rich with cream and butter.  Both nights I had to take Rolaids for acid reflux and I woke up the next day not feeling very well.  Dr. Fuhrman says it is okay to eat 90% healthy and 10% of not so healthy choices,  but most people after following his plan will prefer not to eat the 10%.  He is right, because you really feel better if you remain on the healthy diet.

How unhealthy sugar is has been in the news this week.  It is nice to know that they will report the facts.  Sometimes I am not so sure they do.  Also, pink slime has gotten a lot of media coverage.  I am glad I haven't had hamburger since October.  :)  Because of the coverage on the news, it looks like that will change also.  Hopefully Americans, will become more health conscious.  If you look around at most people that walk by you, children included, and they are overweight.

Food for Thought:  Dangers of Dairy

 

"There is compelling evidence, now published in top scientific journals and some of which is decades old, showing that cows' milk is associated, possibly even causally, with a wide variety of serious human ailments including various cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and an array of allergy-related diseases. And, this food contains no nutrients that cannot be better obtained from other far more nutritious and tasty foods." Dr Colin Campbell

To read more on the dangers of dairy check out this article: http://www.vibrancyuk.com/dairy.html

Recipe of the Day:

Spinach Tomato Quiche

‎1 Cup rice cheddar cheese

1 cup mozzarella rice cheese

1 cup almond milk 

1 small carton egg whites

1 cup chopped spinach

1/4 cup chopped onions 

1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

Mix pour in whole wheat pie crust. I think I baked it for about 45 minutes at 375 degrees.  I sauteed the onions and spinach in a little vegetable broth.

Honeybun

I bet that title got your attention. :)  A couple of weeks ago while I was traveling I started to have a craving for something sweet.  In the past when I was hit with this feeling I would stop at a service station and pick up a diet drink and a honeybun.  But much to my surprise, I was not craving a honeybun.  I was craving a big juicy crisp apple.  I pulled into the Walmart in Goldsboro, went inside and purchased several apples and a bottle of water.  They were delicious and just what I wanted.  If you think this could never happen for you, yes it can.  I rarely ate fruit and now I actually crave it.  Fruit has natural sugar to ease your sweet cravings, not the many other kinds of sugars that are making people overweight and leading to diseases that can even kill.

Food for Thought:

Is sugar a sweet old friend that is secretly plotting your demise?

There is a vast sea of research suggesting that it is. Science has now shown us, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that sugar in your food, in all its myriad of forms, is taking a devastating toll on your health.

The single largest source of calories for Americans comes from sugar—specifically high fructose corn syrup. Just take a look at the sugar consumption trends of the past 300 years:[1]

• In 1700, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year.
• In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year.
• In 1900, individual consumption had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year.
• In 2009, more than 50 percent of all Americans consume one-half pound of sugar PER DAY—translating to a whopping 180 pounds of sugar per year!

Sugar is loaded into your soft drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks, and hidden in almost all processed foods—from bologna to pretzels to Worcestershire sauce to cheese spread. And now most infant formula has the sugar equivalent of one can of Coca-Cola, so babies are being metabolically poisoned from day one if taking formula.

No wonder there is an obesity epidemic in this country.

Today, 32 percent of Americans are obese and an additional one-third are overweight. Compare that to 1890, when a survey of white males in their fifties revealed an obesity rate of just 3.4 percent. In 1975, the obesity rate in America had reached 15 percent, and since then it has doubled.

Carrying excess weight increases your risk for deadly conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes.

In 1893, there were fewer than three cases of diabetes per 100,000 people in the United States. Today, diabetes strikes almost 8,000 out of every 100,000 people.[1]

You don't have to be a physician or a scientist to notice America's expanding waistline. All you have to do is stroll through a shopping mall or a schoolyard, or perhaps glance in the mirror.

 By Dr. Mercola   Read the whole article at:


http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx


Recipe of the Day:


Layered Vegetables

Layer Zucchini

This a simple recipe but it turned out delicious.

Layer Yellow Summer Squash

Layer Eggplant

Layer Tomatos

Layer Onions add two cloves of crushed garlic and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Top with cheese, I used vegan cheese,  bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Reflections Don't Lie

As I was going into a building this week and saw my reflection, it made me realize that the windows had not been lying.  In the past, I would look while walking in a door or by a building with big windows and think, wow, that window really makes me look big.  I knew I had put on weight.  It happened slowly over time.  I would look at other people that were a lot bigger than me and be thankful I was not that big.   But, I was too big and on the road to becoming very unhealthy.  When a small person put on five pounds, panicked and told me she needed to lose weight, I would think how crazy it sounded because it was only 5 pounds.  It is much easier to lose 5 pounds than 50 pounds.

 For the next 6 weeks, I have decided to try and not eat any meat at all.  We are going on a trip in April and I would like to lose at least 5 more pounds before then.  I have lost 23 so far.  It really isn't hard at all to give up meats.  I have no craving for meat or sweets.  I ate a small piece of my grandson's birthday cake on Sunday. It was made with a gluten free recipe.  I had to scrape the icing off and it still tasted too sweet to me.  My friend was telling me yesterday of the two cakes she had made. She apologized and said she shouldn't be telling me about the cake she had at dinner.  I told her it was fine because it really doesn't bother me at all.

So...if you pass a window and catch a glimpse of yourself and think "my that makes me look big" remember reflections don't lie.  :)  We just lie to ourselves.


Food for Thought:

If you don't like water you will like this new rule.  Provided you eat right.  :)

Old Rule: Drink eight glasses of water a day.
New Rule: Eat your water.

The recommendation to chug all that H2O was likely based on guidelines published in 1945. However, says Howard Murad, MD, author of The Water Secret, much of your daily requirement is contained in foods: Fruits, vegetables, beans, and cooked whole grains like oatmeal and quinoa (which soak up moisture in the pot) all deliver servings of water. And, as Murad points out, they offer the added bonus of nutrients: "Watermelon and cucumber are more than 90 percent water, but they also contain antioxidants. With a glass of water, all you get is water." You'll know you're hydrated when your urine is colorless or pale yellow and you're rarely thirsty.

This was a great article, check it out at  http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/4-health-rules-break-today-160000576.html.  If it isn't a click link copy and paste it.

Recipe of the Day:

Cucumber Salad (My Recipe)

Used 1/2 of onion

Love this vinegar, very light.

3        Long Cucumbers
2        cups of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2    cup Pear Infused Vinegar
1       cup diced carrots
1/2    chopped onion
5       dates
1/4    tsp dried rosemary

Puree' vinegar and dates together.  Combine chopped vegetables, add rosemary and toss with dressing.  Chill 

I plan to eat this today in a pita with romaine lettuce.