Meatless Monday

I decided to embrace Meatless Monday.  I found a recipe for a chilled dish that required no cooking (other than defrosting the rice), and I could make up at in the back room at work.  I stopped at the grocery store on my way to work, recipe in hand. 

Apparently January 2 is NOT the day to look for Black Eyed Peas.  I've not heard of this tradition before, but learned about it in my quest to make this dish.  Not a can or frozen bag to be found.  None.  Zilch.  Nada. 

I did some substitutions.  Between substitutions for things I don't like and not being able to find black eyed peas, it ended up as...

• 1 can black beans, drained (instead of black eyed peas)
• 1 cup brown rice
• Diced bell pepper (instead of celery, blech!)
• Bunch Diced green onions
• Diced tomato
• 1/3 tube Basil (instead of fresh parsley)
• Two tablespoons minced garlic
• I did not add the tablespoon of lemon juice.

Mix in large container, chill for an hour.

It was really good.  I've let the leftovers chill since last night, and it's really smelling amazing.  I probably overdid the garlic, but you can never have enough garlic!

Fish Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Coconut Oil, Oh My!

Several times in the last few weeks I've heard about the evils of Fish Oil. How it can have mercury, how quickly it goes rancid, etc.

A friend told me his doctor has him on a "pharmaceutical grade" fish oil tablet. I find it hard to believe that such a product exists since the FDA does not oversee supplements!  What the heck kind d of doctor does he have??  I am so appalled by this I just want to shake my friend for buying in to this myth.

That got under my skin.  I started paying attention.  Fish oil goes bad quickly, regardless of the "grade". Often it spoils IN THE CAPSULES.  There are studies and tests that prove it. Fish Oil is best when free of mercury and fresh. Very hard to achieve.

I read about this years ago and stopped taking it. And I have many friends whose doctors continue to recommend it. They share their stories and I bite my tongue. 

Anyone who takes anything should do the research.

Anyone who takes anything should do the research! 

I can tell you the benefits and side effects of my blood pressure medicine, my potassium supplement (which I HATE), the Zyrtec and the Prilosec (which I take every other day).  Nothing goes I to my body, supplement or meds, without my being informed.  I demand it.

But people don't do that with the popular supplements.  And Fish Oil is popular.

Flaxseed Oil and Coconut Oil are excellent replacements.  Two tablespoons a day of each is what I shoot for.  Listening to the 12 Steps to Whole Foods has cemented that for me. 

Flaxseed Oil is to be kept refrigerated and should not be heated. Put some in a smoothly or a salad dressing.  The benefits of flaxseed oil are amazing! I choose oil over ground seeds because its easier for me.

Coconut Oil can be heated and therfore is excellent for cooking. I also put it on my face, hands, and elbows at night. And since I like coconut, I have started using it like butter on the occassional slice of bread.  I have many friends who use it. It comes in a solid form, looks like shortening.  Refrigerate it if you live in a warm climate and it melts.
Have I grossed you out??

New Favorite Thing: Coconut Oil

About a year ago I read the book 12 Steps to Whole Foods.  I purchased a pack with the book, audio files to accompany it, a DVD with how to videos and a journal. 
Last week I began listening to the audio files. Of all the things that I've heard thus far, one really stuck out - Coconut Oil.
Three days ago I began using it at night as moisturizer.  Yup, moisturizer. It absorbs quickly, leaves no greasy residue, and wow does my face love it! I hate washing my face in the morning it feels so good!
I have dry skin. I've spent 25 years looking for the perfect moisturizer and eye treatment.  Why did no one ever tell me about organic virgin Coconut Oil?
Plus, my elbows feel great and the little dry patch on my forehead is nearly gone.
Until I find something better, I'm sticking with it!

Why This Blog?

I've spent the better part of the last 15 years reading about every diet, fad, healthy lifestyle, whatever the current buzzword.  I read, I study, and I'm fascinated by the amount of information provided about health and nutrition. 

What fascinates me more is that more than half of Americans are obese.  Fast food, fast lives, easy-to-grab processed foods.  Our country has made them part of the lifestyle. 

I don't really remember which diet or book or magazine or documentary or TV show clicked on this obsession I have.  I think I've read and done them all.

I used to be a stick person.  Age, lifestyle, hormones, and a love of food have moved me out of stick person mode into what I consider fat.  I recognize it in the size clothes I wear and the periodic glimpses I catch of a reflection in a window or mirror.  I often don't see it day to day when I look in a mirror.  That's a challenge for me, because I forget I'm "fat".

I've tried (and failed) at almost every diet trend out there - for the last 20 years!  That's a lot of failure.  I do well for a few weeks or a few months, and then slide back into old habits.  Sound familiar?

I've continued to read and study.  A couple years ago I decided to hell with it.  I'm going to figure out what works for me.  I'm going to become in tune to what my body requires, and find a balance between that and what my brain wants.  Because want to be healthy, and I want to enjoy my favorite things from time to time.

My parents health is precarious.  Between the two of them, my brother and I have seen the results of being overweight, high blood pressure, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, stroke, migraines, blindness, high cholesterol, over-prescribed pain meds, and a strange little blood clotting disorder that creates lots of clots that clogs the arteries and causes blockages.  That's a hell of a lot for us to wrap our heads around.

We already struggle with our weight.  We have migraines (I've had them since I was 8 years old).  I have high blood pressure (since I was 25 years old).  Personally, I'm terrified of the next 20 years with our family history. 

In my research and self-experimentation, I have discovered that:

• processed foods make me have cravings for more processed foods, and never fill me up. 
• dairy makes me congested, is a headache trigger, make me bloat up like a blow fish, and cause my tummy to be unhappy. 
• a whole foods diet, with an emphasis on veggies, makes my body happy.
• it's not as hard to cut back on meat as I thought it would be.
• GMO's scare the daylights out of me (who wants to eat food created in a petry dish?)
• eating foods that come from places close to home is good for me and our local economy.

I am currently obsessed with documentaries about food in this country.  I recommend them to everyone I know.  I recommend books I've read (I have three books going right now, all food related).  I sometimes jump on a soap box and lecture, and my friends aren't always appreciative.

So not long ago, one of my friends who has the same concerns as I suggested, in jest, that I write a book.  We laughed about how it would be called The Armchair Nutritionist, the rants and ramblings of a girl obsessed by food and good health.  About a week later, I started this blog. 

Now I can rant without upsetting anyone (no one has to read it!)

So that's my story.  And this follows my ups, downs, results of experimentations gone awry, and maybe someday it will help one person find a path to better health.

It Was a Dairy Kind of Day

As I lay in bed last night with a headache, congestion, bloaty, and feeling quite lethargic, I had to laugh.  I consumed more dairy in one day than I have in the last several months! 
We had a coffee bar at work. I was three lattes and a hot chocolate down before I realized that i was drinking REAL milk, and I'd had a lot. Then I was really hungry, and I had a half a slice of cheese pizza.
I remember at the time saying "I'll pay for that later!" I usually ask for soy in my lattes. And since I've pretty much given up caffeine, its rare that I have one at all.
There was a "picking at" appetizers all day. We had breakfast and lunch appetizers. One of the best was the shot glass of tomato bisque. At the end of the day, I was still hungry and craving the dark side. I joined my coworkers for a drink and more appetizers.
The cravings happens when I throw caution to the wind.  Too much of a good thing makes me want more!
I ended the day with bread sticks and half a bowl of pumpkin crab bisque.  It was so good. I love bisque.  I love pumpkin crab bisque! So interesting and a soothing experience.  Wrap yourself in bisque at the end of a long day....
I then went home fell into a dairy induced coma. Today I'm still a little blech but I'll survive.  I know that a day of clean eating will bounce me back!
Was it all worth it? Yes!!!  The food was excellent!!!  I'm glad I didn't overindulge.  Lots of picking, so not a lot consumed.

Detoxing, sorta...

Yup, that's my breakfast and lunch today.  I have a green smoothie planned for dinner. 

Breakfast was a Honeycrisp Apple, purchased at The Fresh Market.  It was quite tasty.  A little Fiji like.  I've never had one before so I thought I'd try it.  When I tell you it took me three hours to eat that apple, I'm not lying!  It was HUGE!

Lunch was a little something I whipped up in the "kitchen" at work.  Corn tortillas with black beans, white rice (forgive me, I like white rice), spring mix, and a tomato/avocado mix with lemon.  I added lots of black pepper to the rice and beans.  It all could have used a little umf.  It was also dry.  It needed sour cream (but I'm staying away from dairy.)  It needed cheese (see previous comment about dairy.)  Someone suggested a chipotle ranch dressing.  That could have done the trick...anything is better with Ranch Dressing :-)

I can already feel my body releasing all the crapolla I've consumed in the last week.  It's a good thing!

Steak!

I had steak last night. Haven't had that in about six months. It was good. Went to my favorite steak place and also had salad, loaded baked potato and an appetizer.
The good news is I had nearly all my salad, four bites of potato and half the 7 ounce steak. I was absolutely stuffed.  I also had half the appetizer.  But seriously, no way another bite could get in there!
Is this what they mean by having your cake and eating it too?  If I can have a little steak every six months or so, I'm happy :-)

Cheese, Congestion, and the Migraine

This has been an excellent week for the great dairy experiment!  I've had lasagna, cheesecake, pizza, potato salad, chicken strips, and saucy things that I KNOW have HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), and who knows what else.

The night I had lasagna I got super congested, and got a migraine. 

The day I had cheesecake, pasta, and cold cuts, I got a migraine.

The day I had chicken strips with bbq chipotly sauce dipped in ranch dressing, I had some tummy distress.

Today I had pizza with feta as well as pizza cheese, and I had a bit of potato salad, and guess what....MIGRAINE!!!!

I truly find this facinating.  It's very interesting to watch how my body responds.  I doubt I'll ever give up these tasty treats completely, but it's nice to know I need to plan ahead.

Must See: Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

Three people I know have mentioned this documentary in the last week. All three have begun juicing. 
My dear friend A invited me over to watch it this evening.  Very sweet of her. I don't have internet at home and its a download only from Netflix.

We began with a fabulous juice - cucumber, celery, tomato, apple, ginger, peaches, carrots - I think there was more but I'm forgetting.  Delicious!

Next we had an amazing spinach salad with hard boiled eggs, asparagus, and a healthy dressing my friend whipped up (totally amazing for a girl incapable of whipping anything up).  I love spinach, and I never think to eat it so simply. Genius!

In celebration of the movie, we ate our healthy fair in front of the TV. I confess to a glass of Chardonnay for dessert.  I haven't had an adult beverage in weeks. It was very nice!

The meal was wonderful and so filling. The movie was inspirational.  It follows a man with weight and health issues on a 60 day juice fast. He meets fascinating people and turns his health around. The story follows him and a fellow he meets along the way named Phil who asks him for help.

I won't give any more away, but....I laughed a lot, I experienced moments where I gasped in horror, I almost cried several times, I left inspired, and Phil is my new hero.

Thank you A and MM for telling me about it!  I'm not sure I'm up to a 60 day fast, but I'm inspired to continue my great food experiment of 2011 :-)
http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/

Dinner at Chipotle

Chipotle is truly "food with integrity".  I love Chipotle, as it's one of the very few places that I can satisfy a hankering for meat with naturally fed and raised options.  No hormones, no GMO grains, no rBGH, no Frankenfood. 

Tonight I opted for the burrito bowl with Barbacoa, rice, black beans, cheese, and sour cream.  Yes, dairy, but dairy that doesn't contain the Frankenfood stuff.  Somehow my system handles that better than the alternative.

If you want to learn more about Chipote and thier impact on our world, click here

More info about about the naturally raised animals can be found in the movie Food Inc, available everywhere a DVD can be bought or rented (a must see, but more on that later)

Cheese, oh Evil Cheese

I have not had cheese for two weeks. Dairy and I have a love hate relationship. I love cheese, yogurt, sour cream, cream sauces, bisques....and dairy hates me.
Today I have fallen off the wagon. Macaroni and cheese. Potato chips and chili cheese sauce.  I may actually explode.
The lesson here is never give into the sweet, seductive smile of cheese ..

Chicken Poblamo Soup

It's my current obsession. YaYa's makes it. So, so good. Fresh ingredients and all.
I need a new obsession...

Winding Down Week 3

Expiramentation is interesting.  I've compiled quite the list of foods to stay away from based on how they make me feel.  Namely, anything processed, all dairy (I miss cheese), anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup, and anything "diet" (with diet sweeteners). 

I'm drinking much more water, and am actually thirsty most of the time.  I'm even toying with green drinks. 

Today I bought three plumbs and something called an applepear.  I don't remember when the last time I bought fruit was. 

What is happening to me?

Welcome

Welcome to my blog!  I hope you enjoy following me along my path of my musings, rants, and experimentations on my quest for good health. 

I love food.  I love all kinds of food, which is a problem for my poor little body.  OK, maybe not so little :-)  I have embarked on an experiment, which I will track here for your amusement, to better understand the impact food has on me. 

It will be an interesting ride...