Eat food. mostly plants. Not too much

I've read The Omnivores Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Now he has an eater's manual...rules and tips to follow to "simplify your eating life". The book is divided into 3 sections, what should i eat, what kind of food , and how much. I like his tips which are brief and to the point.....

Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food...

Check out the ingredient list and think of grandma, or yourself atre these ingredients ones that you have never heard of.... don't stick them in your mouth!!

Can you guess the food from the ingredient list?

Grateful for...

I have been working on thinking what i am grateful for everyday... i try to remind my co workers too. Today i decided i am grateful for air conditioning! iT WAS HOT

What i made today!

I know its summer but i like soup. I have been thinking about this soup since we had a carrot ginger soup at the Bellagio in Vegas last month. Its from the Moosewood Kitchen cookbook. Is sounds like a weird combo but the flavors join well.... I only modified a little and halfed it----

Spicy Carrot Peanut Soup

In the cuisines of Africa and Southeast Asia, peanuts and peanut butter are a staple ingredient in sauces and condiments. Here, peanut butter is the background that offsets the spices, garlic, and sour and salty flavors in this rich and aromatic soup. Use any gourmet or commercial peanut butter or roast and grind our own peanuts into a paste.

Serves 6 to 8
Yields about 8 cups
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

1 tablespoon canola or other vegetable oil
1 large onion, thickly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 pounds carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste*
6 cups water
2 tablespoons peanut butter (see Note)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
a few fresh lime wedges

*Or use a fresh stemmed and chopped fresh chile and 2 minced garlic cloves.

In a soup pot on medium heat, warm the oil and add the onions, carrots, celery, salt, and chili paste. Sauté on high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the water, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 25 minutes.

Stir in the peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice. In a blender, purée the soup in batches. Reheat, if necessary.


I used the chile and garlic variation and used PB2 (powdered PB) in the recipe. Enjoys!

Supplements

I've been known to be a sucker for supplements from time to time. But all of the research shows that food is the best way to get all macro and micro nutrients. I typically take a multi vitamin. The one recommended to me recently was one with iron. Currently using Rainbow Light Complete Iron System. I also take B12 shots and occasionally a supplement due to chronicly low deficiency (thanks to Matt at the next desk who loves to inject me). I get curious about the benefits from other supplements and if they are needed. Berkley has a newsletter monthly that showcases a nutritional supplement. This month is Zinc. Taken from the website


Zinc

An essential mineral found in almost every cell, zinc is needed for the enzymes that regulate cell division, growth, wound healing, and proper functioning of the immune system. Zinc also plays a role in acuity of taste and smell, and it supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence. Zinc is plentiful in foods. Meats, seafood (especially oysters), and liver are the richest sources of zinc; brewer’s yeast, milk and other dairy products, beans, and wheat germ also supply some zinc. Water contains small amounts of zinc, too. Severe zinc deficiency is most often found in the developing world, but mild zinc deficiencies may occur elsewhere in undernourished people and those on strict vegetarian diets, which may not contain much zinc.

Claims, purported benefits: Cures or shortens colds, relieves prostate symptoms, prevents prostate cancer, enhances sexual performance, prevents or retards age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Bottom line: Don’t take zinc supplements, but do eat foods rich in zinc. There is no convincing evidence that zinc supplements can shorten or prevent colds, cure prostate problems, or enhance sexual performance. Zinc supplements do increase blood levels of testosterone, which may promote prostate cancer. Large doses of zinc (50 milligrams or more) can also interfere with the body’s absorption of copper, another mineral essential to immune function. Supplementary zinc may help protect against AMD, or at least retard it in those who already have the disease—but talk to your doctor first. Unless you have AMD, there is no reason to exceed the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for zinc (the amount in most multi vitamin-and-mineral supplements): 11 milligrams a day for men, 8 milligrams for women.

2010 Xtreme Eating Awards

If you have never heard of the Center for Science in the Public Intrest you have to look them up and read what they have to write. They write and report on the nutition, food safety and health. There is a montly news letter in both US and Canada.

IMO fast food is disguisting, but.... well no buts- its gross. Many restuarant options aren't much better. In the honor of awards and cermonies they have written a list of the worst restaurant meals in America. Check out the link for details:

Benefits of Flaxseed

6 reasons to eat flaxseeds

1.Walnuts and fish are excellent sources of omega-3s, but so are flaxseeds. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of omega-3s is 1.1 grams a day, and one tablespoon of flaxseed offers 1.8 grams.

2.The omega-3s in flaxseed can help reduce the inflammation that leads to conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches, and osteoporosis.

3.Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is one kind of omega-3s that is found in flaxseeds, and this fat helps promote bone health.

4.Flaxseed is known to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, and it may lower blood pressure — all essential elements to having a healthy heart.

5.Whole flaxseeds are great sources of fiber. One tablespoon contains three grams of fiber, so they can help prevent constipation.

6.Lignans, the fibers found in flaxseed, promote regular digestion and are thought to have a role in breast cancer prevention.

How you say?!? They must be ground-- Buy whole and ground them yourself in a coffee/spice grinder. Your body can not breakdown whole and you will not get the glorious benefits!

Daily Mantra

"we don't get to choose how we die, we only get to choose how we live"

Trying to live with this as my mantra for the day. Obsessing over food, exercise, dieting, perfection, health, organic, toxins........ It will make someone go crazy. We all die, but how we choose to live and enjoy life is the opposite spectrum. Enjoy life..

Is that it

I watched LOST last night... at the end All i could think was "thats it".They are dead, what about the electromagnet fields, the dharma progect, the polar bears, the wheels, the time travel..... But the more I think about it, I'm not sure what i expected. I am trying to have less expectations. I just want to enjoy what is offered. I wanted answers. But are there answers, is there a truth or a right or wrong? I struggle with this and constantly remind myself. Yes this is it!

1,4 dioxane

1,4-dioxane, a human carcinogen is found in many consumer products. Unfortunately it is not one listed on product labels. When cleaning products and detergents are processed using ethoxylation, a cheap technique that lessens the severity of the harsher ingredients, 1,4-dioxane is created. Since it is considered a byproduct of ethylene oxide reacting with other ingredients, 1,4-dioxane is technically considered a contaminant and thus does not have to be included on product labeling. As a result, consumers are largely unaware of its presence in major household products. The results of an independent study testing 20 different laundry detergents; showed the following results with 1,4 dioxane:

Conventional brands:
1. Tide (P&G) – 55 parts per million (ppm)
2. Ivory Snow Gentle (P&G) – 31 ppm
3. Tide Free (P&G) – 29 ppm
4. Purex (Dial Corp.) – 25 ppm
5. Gain 2X Ultra (P&G) – 21 ppm
6. Cheer BrightClean Detergent (P&G) – 20 ppm
7. Era 2X Ultra (P&G) – 14 ppm
8. Arm & Hammer (Church & Dwight Co.) – 5.0 ppm
9. Wisk 2X Ultra (Sun Products Corp.) – 3.9 ppm
10. Woolite Complete Detergent (Reckitt Benckiser) – 1.3 ppm
11. All laundry detergent (Unilever) – 0.6 ppm
12. Dreft powdered detergent (P&G) – non-detectable (ND)
13. Sun Burst (Sun Products Corp.) – ND

"Natural" brands:
1. Planet Ultra Liquid laundry detergent – 6.1 ppm
2. Mrs. Meyers laundry detergent – 1.5 ppm
3. Clorox Green Works Natural laundry detergent – ND
4. Ecos laundry detergent (Earth Friendly Products) – ND
5. Life Tree Laundry Liquid – ND
6. Method Squeaky Green laundry detergent – ND
7. Seventh Generation Free & Clear laundry detergent – ND


Looks like the natural products are the way to go.

Check out this guide by the Organic Consumers Association:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/ShoppersSafetyGuide.pdf

NON-fishy Omegas

I was recently asked to post about non fish sources of omega 3s- thanks Sarah for the enthusiam. Besides who likes those aweful fish burps and house smelling like fish for days.... Here's what I found:
Alternative sources of omega 3

Believe it or not there is a large variety of whole foods that are rich in omega 3. Some foods to include in your diet to ensure you get enough omega 3 are:

*Green leafy vegetables such as, spinach, broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts.

*Legumes such as, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, and split peas.

*Walnuts

*Pumpkin seeds and flax

*Berries such as, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries

*Avocados.


Personally i try to eat a Table spoon of flax seeds and 6 walnut halfs daily. I also Eat about 5 cups of leafy greens. Berries for sure too.

Agave should be left to make tequilla!

So what is the truth about Agave. Its a "natural" sweetener, "Low glycemic"--- In truth its not Healthy as they want you to think. Agave has more fructose than high fructose than high fructose corn syrup-- 90%! It is a refined product- true it does come from the agave plant but ...Agave plants are crushed, and the sap collected into tanks. The sap is then heated to about 140°F for about 36 hours not only to concentrate the liquid into a syrup, but to develop the sweetness. The main carbohydrates in the agave sap are complex forms of fructose called fructosans, one of which is inulin, a straight-chain fructose polymer about ten eight to 10 fructose sugar units long. In this state, the sap is not very sweet.

When the agave sap is heated, the complex fructosans are hydrolyzed, or broken into their constituent fructose units. The fructose-rich solution is then filtered to obtain the desired products that range from dark syrup with a characteristic vanilla aroma, to a light amber liquid with more neutral characteristics.


It is no longer a whole food... Full of fructose. All sugar- from table sugar to HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup) to honey- contains some mixture of fructose and glucose. Table sugar is 50/50, HFCS is 55/45. Agave nectar is a whopping 90% fructose, almost- but not quite- twice as high as HFCS. The high amount of fructose is what makes it low glycemic. Fructose- the sugar found naturally in fruit- is perfectly fine when you get it from whole foods like apples (about 7% fructose)—it comes with a host of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber.
“Fructose interferes with healthy metabolism when (consumed) at higher doses”
Our bodies need glucose to survive. It is what provides us with energy as all food is broken down into. All of our cells can process it. Fructose is only broken down in the liver.

Fructose is the primary sugar in most fruits. It isn’t that fructose is evil -- it is just the MASSIVE DOSES you and your family are exposed to that makes it dangerous. Because it is so cheap and makes foods taste so much better...

Stick to fruit and leave the agave to ferment for tequilla.

Truth about fiber...

Dietary fiber, the edible portion of cell walls is beneficial for our diets. There are 2 types: Both are healthy and need to be consumed. Soluble and Insouble fiber both have many benefits. But what is the difference?? Both are undigested meaning they do not enter the blood stream and are not used for energy rather they are excreted. Insoluble fiber aids in elimination passing thru the bodily relatively intact. It can control and balance the pH (acidity) in the intestines. Research has shown- promote regular bowel movement and prevent constipation,remove toxic waste through colon in less time,help prevent colon cancer by keeping an optimal pH in intestines to prevent microbes from producing cancerous substances. Good sources of insoluble fiber are Vegetables such as green beans and dark green leafy vegetables, Fruit skins and root vegetable skins, Whole-wheat products, Wheat, oat, Corn bran,Seeds & Nuts.

Soluble fiber binds and forms a gel when in contact with a liquid. It binds with fatty acids and can prolong stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly. It has been shown to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) therefore reducing the risk of heart disease. Food sources include Oat/Oat bran, Dried beans and peas, Nuts, Barley, Flax seed, Fruits such as oranges and apples, Vegetables such as carrots,Psyllium husk.

The recommended intake of fiber is 25g per day. or 10 - 13 grams for every 1,000 calories in the diet. This recommended amount should come from a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber, since each type provides different benefits. While it's not necessary to track, a 3:1 ratio of insoluble to soluble fiber is typical


If you notice these all come from whole plant based foods- Not processed food. Back to basics...

150 things to do before 30

The ones I have done are bolded-
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day Swedish
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country Costa Rica waiter
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip Maimi beach 2004
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach summers at the beachhouse in WW!
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow The zoo- obviously prevegan
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day AHHH college
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theatre
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on a television news program as an “expert”
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas x1 second will be in April
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking with the windows open103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a TV game show
113. Broken a bone does ACL count if i did it twice??
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears belly button
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol they made me shoot a rifle in college
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period - have been UP for more than 30 hours in a 48 hour period.
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper daily news in yoga poses
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach Umm i live in philly
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair not a natural blonde
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident I've rear ended a few
150. Saved someone’s life


Still have 2 plus years to accomplish the rest!