Category Archives: Blogging for good health!

Blogging for good health!

In Times of Stress

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What do you do in times of stress? How do you recover? What calms you? Where do you find peace?

I have disappeared because of a heightened family medical situation Food-talk-4-u-stress-1that has certainly taken a toll on all of us. The crisis of the other day is over, but we are facing the new “normal” and anticipating more downward changes. What was a logical future weakness has arrived and is no longer theoretical. Four and a half hours in medical offices one day, followed by appointments the next, really takes a toll.

Food-talk-4-u-stress-5My starch is all gone. Recharging is needed. Caregivers need to take care of themselves in order to take care of the loved one.

Reaching out to family and friends is vital to staying grounded, don’t you think? There are things you do not share with family, though, and that’s where friends come in! Thank God for both family and friends! Thank God for life and love itself!

I have had to step back from posting because, well, there was no time left, let alone energy. That is still somewhat the case. Food-Talk-4-U-squirrel

I regroup in God’s creation as seen from my back porch! Feeding humming birds, cardinals, blue jays, mocking birds, and the like, as well as my beloved squirrels, is what keeps me smiling! Porch time is definitely needed. Being outdoors, watching, and listening to the plentiful activity is “soul sauce” for me!

Food-Talk-4-U-scrambled-eggsKnowing stress really takes a toll on everyone experiencing it, makes me even more mindful of feeding my body only nutrient-dense food. This is no time for junk food… Not that there ever is any around here! Big Egg Scramble this morning with…You guessed it…Left over zoodles! Still lots of fresh veggies to go with lean protein at night. Never, ever any gluten!

Exercise should not be throwcaregiver-hin out the door, either! Sometimes exercise is just what is needed to get the blood stirring around a little bit better and to engage the mind on something else. I literally have just paused from writing this and come back from doing 6 slow-motion non-weighted squats; ten count down, ten count hold, ten count up. Didn’t want to do it, but I feel better now! So simple. If the temperature outside doesn’t get to unbearable today, I’ll go for a walk, too.

Food-talk-4-u-stress-2Since the detox phase is breadless even if the bread is gluten-free, I will share with you an awesome all-purpose gravy recipe that goes great on all kind of meat. That will be in the next post.

Now, off to the porch for prayers of thanksgiving and to soak up God’s creation!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

Day Two of The Plan

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Last night’s half-serving of smoothie held me so well that I wasn’t Food-talk-4-u-the-plan-day-2-1even hungry for breakfast at all, so I didn’t eat until lunch and enjoyed a crouton-free chicken salad mixture on a salad with tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper at a favorite local restaurant. Salt, pepper, and a splash or two of balsamic vinegar were all that was needed on top. It was so satisfying and I still have a bit of the chicken left over for later. Dinner tonight will be leftovers from last night’s shrimp, chicken, asparagus, artichoke heart, and olive sauté served over zoodles.

Food-Talk-4-U-exercise-3Years ago I read an article, probably in the Reader’s Digest, describing the merits of exercising slowly. For instance, if you are lifting weights to exercise your biceps (arm curls), instead of going at things quickly and trying to get as many repetitions, (reps), and sets done as possible, the better method would be to do the movements very slowly and do fewer reps. Why? Well, that articleFood-talk-4-u-weights and others that I am reading right now suggest, in moving a weight slowly, more muscle fibers are called in to get the job done. Try it. Flex your elbow holding a modest weight (3, 5, or 10 lbs.) and do it five times fairly quickly. Should be not a problem. You could go on for quite a few reps. Now, using that same weight, flex your arm very slowly taking a count of 10 to get to the fully-flexed position and then slowly extend your arm taking a count of 10 to get almost fully extended. Repeat for a total of five times. You should certainly feel the dramatic difference that slow movement creates!

Food-Talk-4-U-clockWhat I am studying now indicates, shorter, slower workouts are much more effective—to the point that they only need to be done 10 minutes ONCE a week. That 10 minutes will not necessarily be a walk in the park; doing slower exercises can and should be a challenge. If 5-6 reps doesn’t tire you out, then the resistance needs to be increased—that’s the weight. If you can hardly complete the 5 reps, then maybe you need to start at a lower weight. Safety is first at all times. If a 2 lb. weight is what you need to start, then that’s fine. An extremely short period of intensity ONCE a week is fine by me!

This can all be done at home with weights easily bought at the store. Food-talk-4-u-exercise-1There will come a point when I will need to transfer my efforts to a machine at a gym to help me increase the weight/resistance. But, for now, no daily trudging to the gym; and when I do decide to go to a gym, it will be a brief period once a week. I am learning there are only a few moves that we need to do that will incorporate the major muscle groups which will, in turn, take care of trouble spots, even without addressing them directly.

Remember always to consult a health professional before starting any kind of exercise program. Each one of us has certain limitations, and your health professional will be able to guide you. I am merely sharing what I am doing according to what I have learned.

Food-Talk-4-U-squat-2One move that I will cover today is the squat. At first, you may need no weight at all, and in fact, you may need to be near a chair or counter in case you need added stability. Without a weight, a squat is done standing with feet spaced under your shoulders and arms extended out in front of you. Bend at the knee and hip, and as you begin to lower yourself into a sitting position, keep your knees no further forward than your toes. You lower yourself, optimally, until your thighs are parallel to the floor, but that may take practice. Just be comfortable and safe.

So right now, the weight you are dealing with is just yours. Do a few squats at regular speed just to get the hang of it. Now do them slowly: a ten-count down and a ten-count up. It’s a whole different game, now, isn’t it? Once your own weight does not challenge you for 6 reps, add a modest weight, holding it to your chest with both hands. Notch up the weight when six slow reps no longer challenge you. At the end of six slow reps, the goal is to have maxed-out your ability to do anymore. Not to kill you; but you certainly should know “that was enough.”

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and a full series of basic exercises is to be done only once a week. We’ll cover another move in a few days.

Off to do some slow-motion squats!

Deidre

(1) Jonathan Bailor, The Calorie Myth

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

Day 1 of The Plan

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With a cup of hot mint tea, I greet you!

photo(1)My breakfast was two scrambled eggs with a splash of unsweetened coconut milk, salt, pepper, and Bavarian Seasoning for special flavor. As a side dish, I also sautéed some fresh okra in some ghee. Ghee is clarified butter with the solids removed. The solids are photo(3)usually what cause the upset for those using dairy. Make sure your ghee is made from grass fed cow’s butter for maximum benefit. I used to think that all okra needed to be breaded, Southern style, and deep fried, but no! They are wonderful just sliced and browned in a minimum of oil or fat and are a wonderful side dish to scrambled eggs.

Lunch looks like it will be a green smoothie made with ½ banana, ½ avocado, big handful of baby kale medley, whey protein, sweet spices, and vanilla, along with enough unsweetened coconut milk, to make things blend right. Leftover smoothie will be my after-dinner snacphoto(5)k — I just can’t seem to shake wanting to have something to eat nearer bedtime. I know…people say not to eat for several hours before bed but there you are.

photo(14)Dinner will generate lots of left-overs so tomorrow’s cooking will be easier—just a re-heat. Tonight, I will sauté some shrimp in pesto, add some cut up rotisserie chicken meat, olives, artichoke hearts, lightly sautéed asparagus, and serve over zoodles cooked in pesto! Might throw in some farmer’s market fresh tomato chunks just for added color and taste! If that isn’t enough, there’s a green salad with my name on it! I won’t leave hungry! The combination of protein and veggies works equally well thrown into a salad rather than on zoodles, too, if you would rather do it that way.

Today, I would like to share with you how to crisp nuts. Raw nuts need to be sort of…  I hate to say … processed … in order to be more agreeable to our digestive tracts. See, animals protect themselves from prey by running. What do fruits, vegetables, and nuts do to protect themselves from being eaten? They have outer coverings that are disagreeable to those eating Food-talk-4-u-nuts-2jpegthem. The coverings of nuts and grains are made of phytic acid (phytates). These phytates are the storage form of phosphorus and they actually bind to the minerals we ingest making them un-absorbable by our digestive tract; meaning, we will not absorb zinc, calcium, magnesium or the like.

Nuts and seeds apparently have enzyme inhibitors that prevent pre-mature sprouting. These enzyme inhibitors are also difficult for us to digest. This can be the reason we often have unhappy bellies or even bowels after eating unprocessed or not neutralized nuts. (1)

Neutralizing the phytates is the goal because we humans lack the enzyme necessary to do it on our own. How to do that? Soak in a brine, sprout, and/or ferment nuts and seeds and then dehydrate them.

Here’s how:

Dissolve 2-3 tablespoons of sea salt in a bowl with enough water to keep nuts covered.

Soak raw almonds, pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts for 8-12 hours.

Soak raw cashews 3-6 hours.

Food-Talk-4-U-nutsDrain and rinse nuts. I spread my soaked nuts out on a bath towel dedicated for this purpose. Nuts may stain the towel; which, by the way, is also my zoodle-drying towel. Roll them up for a bit, and put them on their drying trays in a single layer.

For a dehydrator, set the temperature at 105 degrees and dehydrate for 12-14 hours.

Using an oven, set oven at lowest temperature possible, (varies by make/model), and dehydrate for several hours, stirring and testing for doneness every hour.

The results will amaze you! Crispy and light! So much easier on the digestive system! A nut that will work with your body and not against it!

food-talk-4-you-happyCongratulations and best wishes on giving your body a break from gluten, dairy, sugar, and caffeine!

Tomorrow, I will start sharing what I’ve learned about how to get more out of less exercise! How cool is that? Exercise is my personal weakness in terms of consistency, so the benefit of “The Move” portion of this self-improvement will definitely start right here with me, too!

Let’s do this together! Leave a comment on how you are doing and join our community by subscribing.

Stay cool –

Deidre

(1) Realfoodforager.com

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

At the Starting Gate!

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Getting so ready for The Plan that I’ve practically started it already! food-talk-4-u-mint-waterI almost reached for a beverage tonight that would only have added sugar to my blood stream, so I grabbed the big pitcher full of mint water instead! That was a major victory for me!

So, what’s for breakfast tomorrow?

There are two approaches:

Something with eggs or a smoothie.

Food-Talk-4-U-eggsMy personal favorite is a Big Scramble: Two eggs whipped up with salt, pepper, and a splash of unsweetened coconut milk, (So Delicious is the brand I use) poured into the pan in which I have already re-heated some left-over zoodles or cooked some minimally-processed sausage, along with some sautéed mushrooms. Basically, any non-starchy vegetable will Food-Talk-4-U-salmondo. That’s where variety comes in. Sometimes I will reheat some left-over salmon along with some leafy greens before adding the egg mixture. Other times, I will pan fry some okra first as a side dish to the eggs. As long as there is a veggie in there somewhere. Spices also create variety. Penzy’s spices has a Bavarian Seasoning that I just love to add to eggs. Sometimes it’s their Mural of Flavor seasoning. Any way you cut it, that’s a nutrient-dense meal that will last for hours and not cause blood sugar spikes.

Food-Talk-4-U-beet-smoothieSmoothies are perfect for breakfast or lunch. My previous article on smoothies will give you a start. If you are blessed with the mother-of-all-blenders: the Vita-Mix (oooo-ahhhh), then the sky is the limit! My daughter has access to one and she is whipping up smoothies with beets and carrots; but a good quality, general kind of blender (like mine……) will probably do best with ½ cup of fruit, a couple handfuls of greens, whey protein, some fluid, ice, and sweet spices.

Note to self: Ask Santa for a Vita-Mix!

What’s for lunch?

Smoothies are transportable in wide-mouth mason jars which can be taken to work, kept in the refrigerator, shaken up, and enjoyed at any time.

Food-Talk-4-U-salad-carrots-gingerLunch can also be a giant salad. My favorite greens actually come from Sam’s and are Taylor Farms Organic Power Greens Kale Medley of baby spinach, kale, chard, and carrots. Cooked, served raw in a salad, or blended in a smoothie, these greens really do the job! So tasty!

What goes into the salad needs to be nutrient-dense and hage-avocado-vrijstnon-starchy. We are not talking pasta salad here! Good fats are essential for a better balance of omega 3s to omega 6s. (We generally get way too many omega 6s in the Standard American Diet.) Avocado is stellar in that department along with olives, olive oil, and crunchy nuts.

Food-talk-4-u-tunaSo what else? We need some protein! I usually grab whatever left-over meat I have and add that sliced or chopped to my salad, or use some canned tuna. After that, you can add salt, pepper, and avocado oil to call it done, or you can expand with carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, and perhaps a small handful of berries…. Go for the colors; the more, the better! The dressing can be as simple as avocado oil only, or balsamic vinegar only, or olive oil and vinegar. Just none of that creamy stuff from a bottle made from who-knows-what and has a highly processed “Frankenoil” at its heart.

The basic rule?

full-bellyEat until you are full! Personally, two eggs are fine for me at breakfast, but some people need more. Do not leave a meal hungry. When I make a smoothie, I usually have leftovers that will be my go-to snack later in the day. Eat enough protein and non-starchy veggies at dinner to fill you up!

What’s for dinner?

Protein, non-starchy veggies, and good fat. Nothing is breaded—we will learn about gluten-free breading later. Just wonderful meat, poultry, fish, or seafood. Grill something; so easy to do this time of year!

Stir up some zoodles with pesto, steam some broccoli. How about some Food-talk-4-u-sesame-oilbaby greens in olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil?  Sauté some Brussels sprouts in olive or avocado oil, season, then finish cooking by steaming on low with a lid on the pan. For a special treat, finish your veggies with some toasted sesame oil! Yum…I could drink that stuff!

chinese-herbal-teaSpeaking of which, what’s to drink?

During the initial ten-day detox phase of The Plan: Anything with no caffeine, alcohol, or added sugar. That’s why the post on flavored water the other day. Herbal teas make delightful hot or cold beverages, as well.

Snacks?

Is it possible to be hungry between these meals? Well, once in a while I am, so here are some options that work for me:

– Left-over smoothie
– Hard-boiled egg
– Small handful of crunchy nuts
– Sliced avocado with lemon pepper
– Spoonful of almond butter

After the 10-day detox period, a piece of 70% or greater dark chocolate! Oh, yeah!

Tomorrow, I will describe how to turn an average nut into something that is easier to digest and allows for better absorption of nutrients: Crunchy Nuts.

Here’s to giving our bodies a rest from the constant assault of artificial ingredients. A time to re-set our metabolism and digestion. A time to heal from inflammation-causing foods.

Talk to you tomorrow!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

The Countdown Continues – Need Another Reason to Eat Cleaner?

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With the kick-off start date to “The Plan” fast approaching (Monday, July 7th), let’s hope we do not get any major delays due to any ill Food-talk-4-u-hateffects of Hurricane Arthur swinging by our coast. May all be safe, and as the Governor said yesterday, “Don’t wear a stupid hat!” Ocean waves may beckon but the undertow and rip currents are stronger than all of us! When approaching a flooded intersection: “Turn around, don’t drown!”

Food-talk-4-u-pulpDid you catch the story featured on MSN News this week? It appears there is yet another reason to going paperless when paying our bills and in receiving various statements, than just in saving the trees and our environment from the pollution it makes to create paper. Trees need to be saved for something else!Food-talk-4-u-hamburger

There’s tree pulp in a great deal of the fast food we are consuming. Yup! Oh, it’s not called a pine bark burger or a maple tree smoothie, but the tree pulp is there!

How? It sneaks in under various guises: cellulose gum, cellulose powder, powdered cellulose, but it is wood pulp all the same. This non-absorbable fiber provides anti-caking properties (aka: anti-caking agent), acts as an emulsion-stabilizing agent, and improves cling (how creamy stuff stays together).

Food-talk-4-u-disgustingWhat this is to the fast food industry is cheap filler that enables them to increase profits by decreasing the real/costly ingredients such as chicken and cream. Are you saying “yuck” yet?

The article cited studies that suggest adverse effects on cholesterol. Who knows what will follow?

It turns out McDonalds is the biggest offender with 14 menu items Food-talk-4-u-treecontaining this wood pulp, followed by: Burger King at 13, Wendy’s at 10, Taco Bell at 9, and Hardees coming in at 6 menu items.

So those special, re-invented buns we’re seeing, creamy cheeses and sauces, cakes, smooth shakes, fries (that do not stick together), meats….just about anything… have been made, err formulated in a chemistry lab, to what?…Taste better?…Seriously?….Be more healthy?…Come on! To be more PROFITABLE for THEM!

Listen up America! Save a tree! Eat REAL food! Save YOURSELF!
Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

Counting Down to “The Plan” – With Oodles of Zoodles!

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food-talk-4-u-hand-peeler-r
Hand Grater

Eating well does not require all kinds of gadgetry so don’t let a limited supply of “things” hold you back from enjoying the wonders of non-packaged foods.

I will be frequently referring to “zoodles”—my “go-to” for non-starchy noodles, and they can be created many ways. Please see my previous post here to learn more about using zoodles. With farmer’s markets brimming at the seams with all kinds of summer squash, what better time to make zoodles?

A simple hand grater will not give you luscious long strands of zoodles but most people have one in their kitchen supplies and will give them some semblance of a short noodle.

food-talk-4-u-hand-peeler-r-2
Micro Planer

Using a micro-planer will result in zoodles; but using one really scares me even with using the vegetable gripper provided—which is lost somewhere in my kitchen.

 

food-talk-4-u-hand-julianne-peeler-r
Julienne Peeler

A safer approach is the julienne peeler which is easy to use and makes nice zoodles. It is one piece and easy to clean up.

 

food-talk-4-u-hand-curly-squash-r
Spiral Peeler

 

 

My favorite tool, however, is my spiral cutter which results in fun-to-make, fabulous zoodles. Get the kids involved and you’ll be sure to have little zoodle eaters who won’t even mind eating veggies!

 

 

So, figure out how to make “zoodles” for there will be many opportunities to do so in The Plan!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

Seven Days to “The Plan”

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Counting down 7 days to the start of The Plan!

As we prepare with tapering down caffeine and sugar (including Food-talk-4-u-waterartificial sweeteners) for the initial detox phase, we are left with what to drink…. So many people are adverse to drinking plain water. Maybe it’s because chlorinated city water is just not tasty; maybe because your well water has a bad taste. For me, plain cold water has never been a problem because we have great well water, but during the summer months especially, I do enjoy something a little more interesting. The lure of sweet tea may beckon, but we are not going there! No sir-ee!

With mint happily growing in my back porch garden, there is no better choice for me! Not only is it so fragrant, but it just gives such a flavor lift. Various other herbs can also be used in combination with fruit or citrus to create a delightful, affordable, and rewarding-to-make beverage.

Food-talk-4-u-lemon-1Making flavored water at home is like making a smoothie—you are limited only by your imagination. For the kitchen-challenged, this is a cinch; don’t worry. No boiling of water needed!

All you need is a:

  • glass container: a pitcher or large mason jar will be perfect
  • long-handled spoon – wooden or stainless steel
  • slicing knife for some recipes
  • water
  • ice

The method consists of:

1) preparing the fruit, herbs, and/or cucumber, adding to pitcher

2) muddling

3) adding water and ice

4) serving

Voila!

Make sure the fruits and herbs are very clean of bugs and/or toxins.

Organic fruit and herbs may be the safer choice to avoid any residue of pesticides.

Muddle. Muddle. Muddle.

Muddling is the term for using the back of the spoon to smush/rub the leaves (especially leaves) and fruit to the side of the container in order to release the flavor-containing juices or oils. You do not want to muddle the fruit into a pulp; just enough to release the juice a bit.

Here is a list of possible flavor combinations and special notes for each:Food-talk-4-u-cucumber

1) Cucumber, mint, lime – slice a small cucumber into the glass container, add 1-2 sprigs of mint (I leave the mint leaves on the stem), and add 1 sliced lime.

2) Strawberry, lemon, basil – slice several strawberries into container, add ½ sliced lemon, add ¼ cup basil leaves.

3) Lemon – juice ½ of the lemon and slice the rest

4) Strawberry – slice several strawberries into container

5) Strawberry and basil – several strawberries, sliced with several basil leaves

6) Mint – 2 stems of mint (about 8 inches long)

7) Cucumber – slice cucumber into container, refrigerate overnight to release flavor into the cold water

Food-talk-4-u-strawberries8) Ginger – slice about a 1 inch piece of ginger onto cutting board and smash slices like garlic cloves before putting into container

9) Raspberry, lime – quarter 2 limes, squeeze juice into container and add the rest of the limes as well. Add desired amount of fruit; usually a handful is good

10) Pineapple, mint – add about ½ cup fresh cubed pineapple to the 2 sprigs of mint

11) Blackberry, sage – a handful of blackberries added to desired amount of fresh sage is good

12) Orange, mint – slice a whole or half of an orange and use desired amount of mintFood-talk-4-u-raspberry

These flavored waters should keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator, so make a couple different kinds if you want to make ahead.
There may be a desire to sweeten them, but concentrate on the wonderful taste of the fruits and herbs instead! Truly, a more mindful approach to eating and drinking can enhance the experience of any meal. Discern the flavors, what they taste and smell like, how they make you feel, or where they may ‘take’ you in your mind.
I have already been doing this but have also added some strong green tea to the brew. This will stop as I get ready to being totally decaf.

Because there is still residual caffeine even in decaf teas and coffees, the best scenario for the detox will be to be absolutely caffeine free! It’s only for the initial 10 detox phase, so I will be tapering down right away by cleaning up my flavored water.

Muddling is fun and the pitchers of flavored water are so pretty you could use them as centerpieces!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

Getting Started: Putting It All Together

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Okay, here’s where we put it all together! In the coming weeks, I will roll out 1) The Plan, 2) The Move, and 3) The Life.

Many people have expressed wanting something they can sort of wrap their hands around; something more than general guidelines about eating for health and more like, “Today, eat this and exercise like that.”

I am hearing you! Mark your calendars for Monday, July 7th as our official START DATE for The Plan!Food-talk-4-u-calendar

So, to start off, The Plan will give you details on how you can conduct your own ‘cleanse’ or detox to reset your metabolism, get your body back to basics, and allow your body to ‘rest’ from the constant barrage from the Standard American Diet. The Plan will keep you satisfied and full, and will assist your body in ridding itself of some of the toxins and ‘sludge’ that have been clogging up the works and making you feel sub-par.

Food-talk-4-u-superfoodsThe Plan will focus on: 5 ‘Superfoods’ for all ages in your family; being adequately hydrated in more creative ways than just plain water; enjoying food preparation with simple recipes that maximize flavors; how to incorporate simple additions to your food to strengthen bones; how to easily add fiber to your diet, and much more! The Plan will start with a 10-day detox period, followed by gradual unique-to-you additions over time, all within the definition of clean, gluten-free eating.

The Move will help you discover how to get more out of exercise byfood-talk-4-u-Exercise-Group doing less—just in a different way. Exercise can be the more difficult change for me to make, so I will be sharing what I have learned from various sources that all advise a different approach from the sweaty, gym-oriented, chronic cardio that this lady is just never going to do anyway! No more expensive gym memberships! Yay!

The Life will open up easily sustainable goals for a life-style that will help you rebalance your mind, body, and spirit, for a more natural rhythm of eating, moving, and being. Too often, today’s world pushes us to physical and mental extremes that are out-of-sync with our natural rhythms. Once you have made the decision to re-connect with your own pace, the daily ebb and flow of life will not feel so much like an artillery bombardment. Learn how to continually implement your new-found food and healthy life-style habits.

Health is a process. Each of us has a unique set of “issues,” but we all can travel the path to improved health together – One step at a time. Everything I will be describing in The Plan, The Move, and The Life, I will be doing, too.

Food-talk-4-u-detoxBefore starting the The Plan, we should go through a period of tapering now. The detox phase will be caffeine-free, sugar-free, grain, dairy, and alcohol-free, so we need to get ready.

Food-Talk-4-U-cold-turkeyIt’s certainly not a good idea to go “cold turkey” in regard to caffeine because of the resultant headaches; thus, the tapering off is needed. Even the moderate amount of caffeine I consume has to be tapered. I resist doing this! I love that little dab of caffeine; but I have learned that caffeine can adversely affect our hormonal balances, in addition to the usual ‘jitters’ and irregular heartbeats that come with ‘over-doing’ my favorite morning brew. So, ‘a tapering we will go!’

Decreasing the amount of caffeine we consume will also include Food-Talk-4-U-chocolatereducing caffeinated beverages of all kind (tea and colas) as well as chocolate. Pout! But abstaining from chocolate will not be forever
Other tapering involves sugar. That usually means colas. Oh, you use diet sodas? That can be exceedingly bad for normal hunger-influencing hormone functions as well. We’ll discuss creative water flavoring techniques in the very next post, but the colas just have to go. Again, this should be a gradual process as most colas involve caffeine. This is supposed to be a user-friendly experience, so ‘gradual’ is the best bet throughout this tapering process.

Alcohol. What is it but liquid sugar? Granted, there are many heavily cited health benefits to moderate wine drinking, but sugar is sugar. Additionally, just this week I learned that one alcoholic beverage can lower a woman’s metabolic rate the next day by up to 70%! Wow! Definitely not the drink for getting into shape!

Let me know if you are ‘IN!’ We will be doing this together! During the countdown to The Plan, I will be giving you tips on tapering and getting prepared. Join us as we commit to a 10-day detox and 20-day follow-up to reset our health – one meal at a time!

In health –

Deidre

 

Blogging for good health!

Starting Food Changes

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Did you know that the mental approach we take when starting a change can actually predict our level of success? Food-talk-4-u-negativeA wise proverb that is proven time after time: “If you think you can you can; if you think you can’t you can’t.” Shut out the negative voices by understanding that YOU ARE in control of what you eat. YOU have total control of what food you put into your mouth! The past is the past. You are learning about an eating lifestyle that will leave you satisfied day in and day out. Stoke yourself with positive testimonials of others (Check out Marksdailyapple.com for the testimonials of those who have totally changed their lives through changing food choices). Learn more about the advantages of certain foods over others, and how some foods could be derailing your health by reading posts in this blog and the others that I share with you.

Food-talk-4-u-man-eatingBe kind to yourself! Dumping negative self-talk into your head is not what is needed. Rome was not built in a day, and the re-creative process happens one mouthful of delicious, healthy food at a time! Did you guzzle a glass of sweet iced tea? Don’t beat yourself up about it! Make sure you are prepared with other choices next time and, by all means, share your successes with others. Be joyful for yourself; you are doing a good job!

Now, how hard would it be to stop eating say, ice cream, when you Food-talk-4-u-candystill had a freezer full of your favorite Homemade Turtle Sundae, and everyone in your family was in the habit of having a nighttime bowl full AND you were the one dishing it up? Or how hard would it be to change from junk food snacks to eating healthier snacks such as avocado, nuts, veggies, or a handful of blueberries when every cupboard in your kitchen was bursting with chips, dips, pretzels, candy, pop tarts, sweetened popcorn, pizza bites, and the like?

Food-talk-4-u-lunch-crowdStudies have proven that changing behavior is easier and more successful if our environment reinforces our goals. The idea of controlling environment for success is not new. Parents always tell their children to associate with “good” kids; when those children get into trouble with their friends, parents insist they hang out with a “better” crowd. Similarly, do you want to be more positive about your job? If everyone in the lunch room spends most of their time bashing the boss or complaining about the customers, find somewhere else to eat lunch; seek those who are positive and who try to solve problems rather than just complain! So, to re-create your health, you will need to first re-create your food preparation environment.

If you are serious about ridding your body of gluten, clean out your Food-Talk-4-U-fridge-cleaningkitchen! Clue your family and friends into your reasons and goals for changing what you eat. Maybe they will join you! At least they should support your efforts if they truly care about you. Connect with others doing the same. Follow this and other blogs that support and edify your choice for change.

When I switched over to being gluten free, I gathered up a lot of pasta (whole wheat, mind you, because I was good—not!), flour, Food-talk-4-u-giveawayand various mixes for a donation to the local food bank. There were definitely mixed feelings about doing that—giving others what I considered poison—so you may struggle with that as well. The more I learn about gluten, I can definitely see how disadvantaged individuals are especially vulnerable as they fill their hungry bellies with cheap starchy products and end up smack in the middle of the “Diabesity” explosion. Thoughts for a different post….

Then to further control your food environment, plan for being away from home: bring your own snacks, order only the part of a restaurant meal that aligns with the changes you have made, eat before leaving home, or plan to eat when you get back.

So, you have cleaned out the kitchen from the offending products and have stocked your shelves with real food that is as close to its original form as possible (not highly processed). You have the support of family and friends who accept your choices and do not try to dissuade you from your goal. Best case scenario, you family joins you! Things have gone great for a whole week. You feel better, have a brighter outlook, and have even lost a couple of pounds.

Congratulations! Time to celebrate! Food-talk-4-u-celebration

Time for “an indulgence?” Time to go off your “diet?” First of all, what I have been describing in these posts is not a temporary “diet,” it’s a way of life. Does a former addict celebrate being clean with just a little “hit?” Certainly not! With food, this is especially true with gluten. I learned just yesterday so much more about gluten that I am wanting to share with you in a future post, but one thing I can share now is that if you are sensitive to gluten, the smallest exposure (a few crumbs) can set you back with reactions not just 10-14 days as I thought, but a full 3-6 months! This is very serious stuff!

Food-talk-4-u-pamperSo plan ahead for your well-deserved celebrations! Plan for a trip to the beach, picnic in the park, a massage, a mani-pedi, a movie, a bubble bath, a good book, or a new item of clothing that better fits your new, smaller self! But “rewarding” your sugar-free self with an ice cream sundae every “cheat day” is just re-creating the environment that made your body so unhappy in the first place! Keep to an environment that will support your continued success and reward your efforts without undermining your progress.

Eating smarter should in no way leave you feeling hungry or deprived. We have all experienced going on a temporary diet, we keep an eye on the end for a return to “normal.” In the meantime, we are always anxious for the next “allowable” food. Normal should always be good for you. Normal should always be bolstering your health: body and mind. This is a grand adventure in getting more out of life by eliminating foods that were never designed for our health!

To summarize:

  • Stay positive!
  • Be kind to yourself
  • Learn more about your food changes
  • Create the environment that will support your change. Clean out the kitchen and garner support from family and friends
  • Plan for when you are away from home
  • Plan rewards that reflect and support your change
  • Surround your mind with success stories and share your successes with others!
  • I love your comments! Please share your thoughts and suggestions; this will always be a work in progress to better serve you!

Please join our community by subscribing to this blog.

Until next time-
Deidre

Blogging for good health!

Clean Eating

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So many terms are being bantered around in the food world that one could get lost. Maybe I can be sort of a weather vane in a storm of terminology.food-talk-4-u-food-pyramid

There is the Standard American Diet (SAD) which is loosely based on the old Food Pyramid laced with the effects of highly commercialized food “products.” The Food Pyramid boasts whole grain goodness as its broad “eat mostly this” base and vilifies fats as sure killers. It is interesting to note that since the inception of the Food Pyramid model, obesity and diabetes began to skyrocket.

Mere coincidence?

Food-talk-4-u-whole-grainsWell, think about it. Grains are broken down and processed as the carbohydrates they are. Carbs are broken down by the digestive system into simple sugars. All carbs are broken down into sugar (glucose or fructose molecules). So, be it a whole wheat bagel or a piece of frosted birthday cake, the end result is sugar. To transport that sugar to body cells, insulin is needed. Any of that sugar fuel not needed at that time is stored as fat. While eating the carb-centric diet as outlined in the Food Pyramid, Americans were requiring their bodies to produce more and more insulin. After a while, being awash in insulin, our bodies become resistant to the effect of insulin—sort of ignoring it. However, our cells were starving for the sugar fuel and we were still hungry; so, we ate more whole grains. Can you see the vicious cycle this was, and is, making? Gaining weight and becoming diabetic. There’s a term for that: diabesity.

Insulin is known as the hormone of fat storage; and eating carbohydrates causes a need, not only for insulin production, but receptivity to its effects. As one who often suffered from frequent low blood sugar crashes, I mistakenly tried to “fix” things by eating carbs. True enough, my blood sugar would go up, but as all of that insulin took effect, my blood sugar crashed again. Little did I know at the time, cutting back on the (starchy) whole grain carbs with each meal would have normalized my blood sugar. I certainly know that now. I can return to low blood sugar crashes quite easily if I re-introduce starchy carbs- even gluten-free ones- heavily into my meals. Instead, I rely on protein and good quality fats along with low-glycemic colorful veggies and fruits to keep me on an even blood sugar keel.Food-talk-4-u-money

A word or two about “food products.” You know them. If given the long list of their ingredients, you could never guess what they were. A LOT of money goes not only into the production of those items, but extensive money and research goes into selling of them to us. It’s all about money; making money; making more money. Our health is not even on their list of concerns. Making a profit is the list.

Food-talk-4-u-clean-eatingEating Clean or Clean Foods is all about eating unprocessed food, as close to the original source or form as possible. This type of eating eliminates the highly processed oils, “food products,” and “Frankenfoods” such as pre-packaged meals, junk food (chips, cookies, frozen pizza, Pop-Tarts) in favor of real, identifiable food (apples, carrots, steak, tomatoes, kale….you get the idea). This might also be referred to as Whole Foods. Mind you, this also contains whole grains……

Gluten Free eating eliminates the inflammatory proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. Using simple gluten-free alternatives for common starchy foods such as bread, crackers, cookies will address the gluten sensitivity but not necessarily address maintaining balanced blood sugars or weight loss. Certainly, I have mentioned in other posts, gluten is also found in condiments; thus label reading is needed.

Paleo, Paleolithic, Ancestral Eating or the “Caveman Diet” are all terms used to describe how our ancient ancestors ate prior to the advent of agriculture. It could be described as “Clean Eating” or “Whole Foods” but generally without any grains, legumes, dairy, or soy. Refined sugar is out! The elimination of all grains (in addition to those with gluten) would mean no rice or corn because of other elements- phytates- that can cause inflammatory processes. I promise a future post on that.

So, do we obsess about what we eat? Does it become our 24/7 demon?Food-talk-4-u-oreo

I don’t think so. To me, just looking at the ingredient list of an Oreo cookie sends shivers down my spine. Talk about “edible food-like substances!” Isn’t it a natural instinct to protect ourselves? Turning away from poison should not be difficult.

Food-talk-4-u-dyesIt seems to be a no brainer, looking at the terrible upswing of obesity, diabetes, ADHD, auto-immune diseases and the like, that something has changed. We just haven’t gotten cleverer at diagnosing patients; we are creating those patients by how we have changed eating. Cleaner eating is certainly a part of the picture. We were not designed to eat food dyes, chemicals, or pesticides. But I also agree with the Paleo proponents who cite that our digestive systems just have not generally evolved to eat most grains. Eliminate them and you will feel a difference. Put them back after a month or two and you will return to feeling and looking sub-par. After cleansing your body from the effects of all grains, you could reintroduce non-gluten grains on a limited basis to see how you tolerate them.

Food-Talk-4-u-sweetnersIf you are just getting started in cleaning up what you eat, ditch the sugar first. It is so liberating to not pine for another sugar “hit.” So many people trying to do this simply switch to non-caloric sweeteners, but that seems wrong on multiple levels. How natural is it? Ok, there’s Stevia and the like, but to me, that’s like getting off of heroine by going on Methadone. So many never get off of the Methadone. Additionally, there are many studies showing those using artificial sweeteners actually eat more. See, the artificial sweetener is telling the brain that sugar is on the way; when blood sugar levels don’t go up; the brain sends the signal to eat in order to raise the blood sugar.

Guess you can’t fool Mother Nature!

The next post will be about how to optimize your success at making positive changes in your eating and exercise habits.

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Thanks-

Deidre