Pancakes on the table for breakfast, a whole chicken in the crock pot for dinner, breakfast dishes done, three of the three off to school, a blank calendar this afternoon, and yoga in about 40 minutes. Mornings like this, when things fall into place without chaos or confrontation, come few and far between in our home but the span is getting shorter as we move deeper into our evolution toward eudaimonia.
Eudaimonia? A great word to research and investigate, for sure, but for short it means 'human flourishing'. Physical wellness. Financial wellness. Spiritual wellness. Holistic Wellness. Well. The human body is much like a well; everything that comes in contact with it contaminates or cleanses the entire being. Eudaimonia is a state in which a being is able to appreciate, assimilate or convert all things it comes in contact with into nourishment, positive energy and practical wisdom. A desirable state indeed.
Our evolution started with simple, conscious changes. Drinking water in the morning to rehydrate the body and allow the cells to breathe. Eliminating breakfast cereals was the next step; an exchange of unidentifiable ingredients for oats, eggs, whole wheat pancakes and whole grain breads. Exercise was next. Less time watching others participate in life on the television and more time actually participating in life. Down-hilll skiing, mountain and road biking, 5 and 10k organized running, yoga, hiking, and conscious cooking. We have also learned to encourage our children to run, to jump, to play, to laugh, to ski and to do it along with them more and more. Today we are on change number 721, at least.
Change happens over time, not over night. At times when I feel my evolution has taken a vacation I preform an evaluation of progress (yesterday was one of those days). Evaluation is born of the beautiful word 'value', cousin to valuable. I am valuable. My husband, my children, our finances, our home, and our wellness is valuable, as is our progress toward eudaimonia. I encourage you all to evaluate how healthy your well is. You will most certainly find positive change among the mistakes and progress among the set backs; appreciate yourself for all of your movement in the right direction.
Then celebrate. Make a beautiful meal of real, naturally occurring food, wash in the goodness with water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. Be glad in it, reader, for you choose your evolution!
Anna~
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Nourishing Ideas!
There are only 14 days left in the shopping season. Everything must be wrapped and boxed, bowed and labeled for Christmas morning and I am sure there are people left on your list. You may consider buying them a great basket of food, which I do very often and lovingly, but if you are looking for something a little more clever than bread and butter or a copy-cat idea from wally-world, you may want to look to a couple of my favorite people for gifts.
Eve of Joy is a new home-based business created by my sister-in-law and brother (with three kids in tow). Kelly repurposes silver plated flatware into garden markers, wind chimes, stamped service sets, fun cereal or coffee spoons, and many other applications. You can find her on Etsy under the shop name Eve of Joy. Kelly also is a very creative
photographer and has a photo shop on etsy as well. Start at EoJ and her photo shop link is available there.
My mother, a very talented crochet-er has recently opened her own etsy store. She does not have packed shelves but what she does have available is priceless; her store name is Bobbindell. Scarves, blankets, foot-ball buntings (you'll see) and throws are her favorite things to crochet, but she also makes shawls, wash cloths, trivets, hats... well, if you don't see it on her Bobbindell shelves just message her what you desire... she can crochet anything with masterful hands (some requests just may take longer!)
Christmas gifts can also be a craft made at your table. Ornaments are a great afternoon activity that can add joy to any tree or party and they are very welcome this time of year. The kids and I just made fun clothespin reindeer for gifts (and for ourselves) and the activity delivered a lasting memory for us to share for years to come. If reindeer aren't your thing, maybe snowmen are a better fit.
Whether you are crafty or not, gifts can come in all shapes and repurposed sizes; they do not have to come from a big-box store or have a lofty price tag to matter. While you finish your Christmas list, eat real, delicious, naturally occurring foods, wash them in with water, give your vitamins their vitamins and remember to wash your hands. I hope this holiday season nourishes your body and spirit in ways that food cannot. Enjoy~
Anna
Eve of Joy is a new home-based business created by my sister-in-law and brother (with three kids in tow). Kelly repurposes silver plated flatware into garden markers, wind chimes, stamped service sets, fun cereal or coffee spoons, and many other applications. You can find her on Etsy under the shop name Eve of Joy. Kelly also is a very creative photographer and has a photo shop on etsy as well. Start at EoJ and her photo shop link is available there.
My mother, a very talented crochet-er has recently opened her own etsy store. She does not have packed shelves but what she does have available is priceless; her store name is Bobbindell. Scarves, blankets, foot-ball buntings (you'll see) and throws are her favorite things to crochet, but she also makes shawls, wash cloths, trivets, hats... well, if you don't see it on her Bobbindell shelves just message her what you desire... she can crochet anything with masterful hands (some requests just may take longer!)Christmas gifts can also be a craft made at your table. Ornaments are a great afternoon activity that can add joy to any tree or party and they are very welcome this time of year. The kids and I just made fun clothespin reindeer for gifts (and for ourselves) and the activity delivered a lasting memory for us to share for years to come. If reindeer aren't your thing, maybe snowmen are a better fit.Whether you are crafty or not, gifts can come in all shapes and repurposed sizes; they do not have to come from a big-box store or have a lofty price tag to matter. While you finish your Christmas list, eat real, delicious, naturally occurring foods, wash them in with water, give your vitamins their vitamins and remember to wash your hands. I hope this holiday season nourishes your body and spirit in ways that food cannot. Enjoy~Anna
Thursday, December 5, 2013
This Simple Phrase
Christmas Cookies. Home made fudge. Candied yams. Pumpkin pie. Ambrosia. Decadent sweets beautifully and deliciously offered in addition to large meals representative of sharing the year end feast. Holiday traditions vary from home to home, as do financial means to deliver an ample feast to the table, but if we look at the hem in the table cloth we can find a common thread between us all; indulgence.
Indulgence is not a four letter word. The Christmas season brings food to the table that may only be eaten once or twice a year. There is nothing you can do to avoid the spread of sweats and savories created to share, so don't restrict yourself to the celery plate. Eat. Share the food and the experience. Bake with your kids. Make your grandmother's recipes with your sister. Relax your 'I'm only going to have one bite' mentality and allow yourself some flexibility.
To get through the holiday feast and still be able to get through the door, there are many, many things you can do that don't require a gym membership. The most important tool you can use is your body. Listen to the cues. When you slow down, chew your food well, and allow time for your stomach to send messages to your brain, you will find you eat well ... but less. Eating when your body says you're hungry and stopping when you're full can save you indigestion, bloating, constipation, cramping, lethargy, regret and mental upset from 'over doing it'. Take your time this holiday season and listen to what your body has to say.
Several more tricks and tips can help your body digest the feast. Drink hydrating fluids. Alcohol actually diminishes your body's ability to digest fat so it stores it away to deal with later. Try lemon water, warm mint tea or club soda instead. Also, add raw veggies to the feast. A broccoli and red cabbage salad with walnuts can add essential nutrients and fiber to your plate to help move the rest of the meal through your system. Bring something green or raw or fresh to all of your holiday pot lucks so you know you always have a healthy choice. And, before you hit the party, take in a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Better yet, get moving after dinner! Dance! Laugh! Play charades at the party you're hosting and you'll meet both wickets.
More tomorrow on mindful eating and enjoyable feasting, but for now I encourage you to eat real food. Wash in the goodness with plenty of water. Don't forget to give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. My sister enveloped my thoughts with this simple phrase, "Be clean inside and out." (Thank you, Kelly~)
Anna~
Indulgence is not a four letter word. The Christmas season brings food to the table that may only be eaten once or twice a year. There is nothing you can do to avoid the spread of sweats and savories created to share, so don't restrict yourself to the celery plate. Eat. Share the food and the experience. Bake with your kids. Make your grandmother's recipes with your sister. Relax your 'I'm only going to have one bite' mentality and allow yourself some flexibility.
To get through the holiday feast and still be able to get through the door, there are many, many things you can do that don't require a gym membership. The most important tool you can use is your body. Listen to the cues. When you slow down, chew your food well, and allow time for your stomach to send messages to your brain, you will find you eat well ... but less. Eating when your body says you're hungry and stopping when you're full can save you indigestion, bloating, constipation, cramping, lethargy, regret and mental upset from 'over doing it'. Take your time this holiday season and listen to what your body has to say.
Several more tricks and tips can help your body digest the feast. Drink hydrating fluids. Alcohol actually diminishes your body's ability to digest fat so it stores it away to deal with later. Try lemon water, warm mint tea or club soda instead. Also, add raw veggies to the feast. A broccoli and red cabbage salad with walnuts can add essential nutrients and fiber to your plate to help move the rest of the meal through your system. Bring something green or raw or fresh to all of your holiday pot lucks so you know you always have a healthy choice. And, before you hit the party, take in a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Better yet, get moving after dinner! Dance! Laugh! Play charades at the party you're hosting and you'll meet both wickets.
More tomorrow on mindful eating and enjoyable feasting, but for now I encourage you to eat real food. Wash in the goodness with plenty of water. Don't forget to give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. My sister enveloped my thoughts with this simple phrase, "Be clean inside and out." (Thank you, Kelly~)
Anna~
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Cravings Never Cease~
Eating a well balanced diet is a very diverse and flavorful adventure. We are all on a diet, whether it's restrictive, plant based, meat packed, McDonald's infused or a combination of the lot. A diet can work for you by delivering ample nutrients, a variety of flavors and textures, and excitement for for tastebuds, or a diet can make you feel deprived, frustrated and hungry. Reader, if you are feeling deprived and frustrated so you can reach another notch on your belt, jump off the train at the next exit and begin anew (your cravings will eventually derail the train anyway).
Cravings are the directors of our tastebuds. In the gut there are millions of bacteria (good and bad) that help digest our food. The type of bacteria present depends largely on the choice of food delivered to the body. There is direct correlation between the bacteria we house and the foods we crave because our bacteria conduct many of our cravings. If many starchy, sugary, processed foods are the bulk of a diet, sugar-eating bacteria, fungi and parasites signal when supplies are low - and the cycle continues. Undoing the cycle is easy, though it takes a plan. Add whole foods, add cleansing herbs and spices, add good pro- and pre-biotics, add water and tea, add a bit of exercise and feel your cravings change.
Cravings also exist when nutrients are deficient. I had an interesting conversation about this with my brother-in-law Paul; hunger is in fact not the only reason we crave food. Hunger signals a need for fuel, true, but cravings are separate from hunger. Cravings are a signal sent to the brain with a direct food in mind: spinach, chocolate, sugar, starch, mint, tomatoes, even allergens. A craving is meant to satisfy a chemical process within the body or brain by feeding in a specific deficient nutrient, acid, or fat. Fantastically enough, you have the power to satisfy those cravings with healthful foods instead of unworthy participants.
There are several ways to cope with cravings, all of which include eating. Yes, eating. In fact, if you take foods off the list of things you 'can' eat, the result will certainly lead to more or stronger cravings (again, we are back to addition). Add something sweet, something salty, something green, something white, something rich and something spicy to your day and see how you feel after the day is done. Write down how you feel. Write down the foods you ate. Write down the outcome of diversifying your diet. Make no mistake, reader. I am not suggesting you indulge in a glazed donut, a salted carmel donut, a green monster donut, a cream cheese frosted donut, a Big Mac, and a cinnamon donut --- I am suggesting you use whole foods to satisfy your cravings categorically and in response to your body without the words, "I can't eat that," on your lips.
Start today. Find real foods that satisfy your cravings. Eat them with consideration and enjoyment. Eat often with a tall glass of water or a warm cup of tea. Give your vitamins their vitamins and watch your cravings move from mischievous to manageable. And because your hands go on your food and your food goes in your mouth, wash your hands of bacteria that can cause you harm; it'll do your body good!
Anna~
Cravings are the directors of our tastebuds. In the gut there are millions of bacteria (good and bad) that help digest our food. The type of bacteria present depends largely on the choice of food delivered to the body. There is direct correlation between the bacteria we house and the foods we crave because our bacteria conduct many of our cravings. If many starchy, sugary, processed foods are the bulk of a diet, sugar-eating bacteria, fungi and parasites signal when supplies are low - and the cycle continues. Undoing the cycle is easy, though it takes a plan. Add whole foods, add cleansing herbs and spices, add good pro- and pre-biotics, add water and tea, add a bit of exercise and feel your cravings change.
Cravings also exist when nutrients are deficient. I had an interesting conversation about this with my brother-in-law Paul; hunger is in fact not the only reason we crave food. Hunger signals a need for fuel, true, but cravings are separate from hunger. Cravings are a signal sent to the brain with a direct food in mind: spinach, chocolate, sugar, starch, mint, tomatoes, even allergens. A craving is meant to satisfy a chemical process within the body or brain by feeding in a specific deficient nutrient, acid, or fat. Fantastically enough, you have the power to satisfy those cravings with healthful foods instead of unworthy participants.
There are several ways to cope with cravings, all of which include eating. Yes, eating. In fact, if you take foods off the list of things you 'can' eat, the result will certainly lead to more or stronger cravings (again, we are back to addition). Add something sweet, something salty, something green, something white, something rich and something spicy to your day and see how you feel after the day is done. Write down how you feel. Write down the foods you ate. Write down the outcome of diversifying your diet. Make no mistake, reader. I am not suggesting you indulge in a glazed donut, a salted carmel donut, a green monster donut, a cream cheese frosted donut, a Big Mac, and a cinnamon donut --- I am suggesting you use whole foods to satisfy your cravings categorically and in response to your body without the words, "I can't eat that," on your lips.
Start today. Find real foods that satisfy your cravings. Eat them with consideration and enjoyment. Eat often with a tall glass of water or a warm cup of tea. Give your vitamins their vitamins and watch your cravings move from mischievous to manageable. And because your hands go on your food and your food goes in your mouth, wash your hands of bacteria that can cause you harm; it'll do your body good!
Anna~
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
5 Underestimated Super Foods
A few weeks ago I touched on typical Western diet staples: pasta in the pantry, butter in the fridge, flour in the canister, oranges in the 'other' drawer. Staples make up large portions of prepared meals while main ingredients change; instead of chicken it's beef, instead of pork it's fish, instead of salad it's sauce. As the food on the table are given a value, each food typically fills one or two main nutritional requirements- that valuation process is how the many variations of the very flawed food pyramid came to balance the American diet for us. To reach optimal nutrient intake with typical American foods, too much of the wrong foods need to be consumed.
Some foods, coined 'super foods', pack a greater all-around punch to the nutrients the body uses in abundance. Some of these super foods may even be on your table but you may have underestimated their value. The first of which is broccoli - one of the worlds healthiest foods! Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, calcium, protein, tryptophan, etc. Steamed or raw broccoli supports vitamin D, K and A in balance, can help manage allergies, and can help lower cholesterol in the blood. Add some to your dinner tonight!
Another underestimated super food is spinach! This little leaf is full of phytonutrients, vitamin K, calcium, glycoglycerolipids, and a potent list of vital vitamins and minerals. Eating spinach raw in a salad or wilted in a soup or even dip can boost your immune system, balance your nutrients, and fight off fatigue. Spinach is not just 'good for you', it's a super food!
An unlikely super food duo, so you may think, is the avocado and the garlic bulb. (Guacamole anyone?) Avocados have been spread upon the news lately for their 'good fats' and their 'healthy oils' but avocados offer much more than that. Fiber, potassium, vitamins C, B and K, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFA's) and carotenoids. Pair it with garlic, another superfood often only looked at as a spice, and you have a powerhouse blend. The combined benefits of avocados and garlic will go straight to your heart!
Fifth in today's superfood list is Celery, an appropriate food for this time of year. "In addition to well-known antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids, scientists have now identified at least a dozen other types of antioxidant nutrients in celery" WHFoods.com. Chop it up, stick it up, slice it up, snack it up, but don't underestimate it's ability to boost you up!
Eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins, and remember to wash your hands~
Anna~
Some foods, coined 'super foods', pack a greater all-around punch to the nutrients the body uses in abundance. Some of these super foods may even be on your table but you may have underestimated their value. The first of which is broccoli - one of the worlds healthiest foods! Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, calcium, protein, tryptophan, etc. Steamed or raw broccoli supports vitamin D, K and A in balance, can help manage allergies, and can help lower cholesterol in the blood. Add some to your dinner tonight!
Another underestimated super food is spinach! This little leaf is full of phytonutrients, vitamin K, calcium, glycoglycerolipids, and a potent list of vital vitamins and minerals. Eating spinach raw in a salad or wilted in a soup or even dip can boost your immune system, balance your nutrients, and fight off fatigue. Spinach is not just 'good for you', it's a super food!
An unlikely super food duo, so you may think, is the avocado and the garlic bulb. (Guacamole anyone?) Avocados have been spread upon the news lately for their 'good fats' and their 'healthy oils' but avocados offer much more than that. Fiber, potassium, vitamins C, B and K, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFA's) and carotenoids. Pair it with garlic, another superfood often only looked at as a spice, and you have a powerhouse blend. The combined benefits of avocados and garlic will go straight to your heart!
Fifth in today's superfood list is Celery, an appropriate food for this time of year. "In addition to well-known antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids, scientists have now identified at least a dozen other types of antioxidant nutrients in celery" WHFoods.com. Chop it up, stick it up, slice it up, snack it up, but don't underestimate it's ability to boost you up!
Eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins, and remember to wash your hands~
Anna~
Monday, December 2, 2013
Give your Vitamins their Vitamins!
At the bottom of every post I offer some very simple advice: eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins, and remember to wash your hands. Offering advice and following advice are two very different animals. Even I, the knower of many food-y, nutritional things, have trouble following simple, sound, sensical advice even though I know why I should. I, just like all of you, only try to make today healthier than yesterday. So, today I would like us all to take our vitamins!
No. I don't mean wander out to Walmart to find cheaply made and nutritionally defunct vitamins in pill form. Our bodies need dozens of vitamins and minerals to assist the vitamins we already make and to replace the vitamins our bodies continually use up. Hormones, gastric juices, connective tissues, hair, teeth, gums, skin, and everything in between is made up or supported by the vitamins we eat. If we loaded up the cart at wally world with all of the nutrients our bodies need we would be swallowing pills all day long~ multivitamins are none the wiser.
So how, then, do your give your vitamins their vitamins? This may sound redundant, but the answer lives in real food! The key is diversity and the clutch is we actually have to eat it. Looking at great spinach recipes online for food inspiration is a fantastic way to diversify your diet, but if instead of spinach leaves wilted in clean, steamy water you use frozen spinach, thawed and drained, you are depleting the recipe of it's vitality. Don't care for spinach? Find foods that sound good to you and eat them~ but stick to the real version instead of the imitation, processed, fortified variety.
Why not fortified foods? Fortification of food happens after a real food ingredient has been processed or heated in a way that diminishes its original nutrients. The vitamins and minerals that are added back to the food are in lesser amounts, and typically of a man made or synthetic variety. Vitamins are not regulated so if you are depending on a manufacturing company - that processes food in order to make a large profit and gain repeat customers - to ensure you are getting your vitamins, you will get less than you bargained for.
We all eat. More importantly, we all eat differently. Finding vitamins amongst the vast food markets we have at our fingertips is greatly more flavorful than fish oil capsules and vitamin tabs from manufacturers. My advice? Write down what you eat for a few days so you may easily identify which vitamins are in abundance and which are missing. Find whole food recipes that supply those vitamins and follow the directions. Remember to wash them in with water and, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Good advice?
Anna~
No. I don't mean wander out to Walmart to find cheaply made and nutritionally defunct vitamins in pill form. Our bodies need dozens of vitamins and minerals to assist the vitamins we already make and to replace the vitamins our bodies continually use up. Hormones, gastric juices, connective tissues, hair, teeth, gums, skin, and everything in between is made up or supported by the vitamins we eat. If we loaded up the cart at wally world with all of the nutrients our bodies need we would be swallowing pills all day long~ multivitamins are none the wiser.
So how, then, do your give your vitamins their vitamins? This may sound redundant, but the answer lives in real food! The key is diversity and the clutch is we actually have to eat it. Looking at great spinach recipes online for food inspiration is a fantastic way to diversify your diet, but if instead of spinach leaves wilted in clean, steamy water you use frozen spinach, thawed and drained, you are depleting the recipe of it's vitality. Don't care for spinach? Find foods that sound good to you and eat them~ but stick to the real version instead of the imitation, processed, fortified variety.
Why not fortified foods? Fortification of food happens after a real food ingredient has been processed or heated in a way that diminishes its original nutrients. The vitamins and minerals that are added back to the food are in lesser amounts, and typically of a man made or synthetic variety. Vitamins are not regulated so if you are depending on a manufacturing company - that processes food in order to make a large profit and gain repeat customers - to ensure you are getting your vitamins, you will get less than you bargained for.
We all eat. More importantly, we all eat differently. Finding vitamins amongst the vast food markets we have at our fingertips is greatly more flavorful than fish oil capsules and vitamin tabs from manufacturers. My advice? Write down what you eat for a few days so you may easily identify which vitamins are in abundance and which are missing. Find whole food recipes that supply those vitamins and follow the directions. Remember to wash them in with water and, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Good advice?
Anna~
Friday, November 22, 2013
A Week in Review: Fatigue, The Unruly Participant.
This may be the last weekend of rest before the holidays rush us through to the new year, or it may be a busy rush to get things done before Thanksgiving. Either way, fatigue is likely to set in. Here are a few delicious suggestions on how to undo the 'errand hangover!'
From April 24, 2013:
Fatigue: The Unruly Participant.
Fatigue is unruly participant in any competition or challenge we face. Fatigue, understood as exhaustion or feeling tired, is a complicated symptom or condition. It can be caused by a lack of sleep, depression, poor circulation and poor oxygenation but can also be a result of stress, boredom or lack of exercise. Fatigue can also be a side effect of medication, synthetic hormones or toxins built up in the body. Just as your body can become addicted to stress, it can become addicted to fatigue: what better excuse to ignore a challenge than, "I'm too tired!"
Let's go straight to the nutrients that may help you throw off the chains of fatigue. Vitamin C. Omega-3's. Caffeine. Fiber. Pro-biotics. Water. Complex carbohydrates. Polyphenols, phytonutrients and balanced electrolytes: magnesium, chloride, calcium, sodium, phosphorus and potassium. Looking at this list we can see similarities with the foods that help fight stress (in fact, the list is almost identical) and if we dig a little deeper we can see similarities with foods that promote sleep.
Where do we find these nutrients? Start with a cup of black coffee in the morning. Poach an egg and have it with whole wheat toast, freshly ground pepper and put a grapefruit on the side. Right there you have fiber, whole grains, protein, antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamin C and caffeine. Grab a hand full of almonds and cashews, 1/8 cup of raisins, craisins, or dehydrated cherries, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and dark cocoa bits for a snack (rocky mountain trail mix sold in the organic foods section of your supermarket has all of these). These ingredients will fill in the need for omega-3 fatty acids while delivering more polyphenols to your system.
For lunch enjoy something green: broccoli salad with walnuts and olive oil; avocado and turkey on whole grain flat bread; spinach salad with strawberries and almonds; spring greens and tomatoes with 2 or 3 ounces of lean meat or fish. The greens provide phytonutrients, vitamin C and a plethora of other fatigue fighting nutrients while the grains and proteins offer lasting fuel. Have a banana for an afternoon snack to help balance electrolytes. For dinner, green beans, brussels sprouts, or asparagus aside pork tenderloin, chicken or flank steak. If you are feeling it, enjoy a yogurt for dessert~
The number one tip for fighting stress, fatigue and lack of sleep is, "Skip the 'white' and 'processed' food that you might normally indulge in." White bread. Mashed potatoes. Pasta. Chips and crackers. Doughnuts. White rice. Breakfast cereal. Muffins. Biscuits.... Instead, eat real, whole, naturally occurring foods. Drink plenty of water. Give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. Fatigue is only an excuse keeping you from being the best version of yourself.
Anna~
From April 24, 2013:
Fatigue: The Unruly Participant.
Fatigue is unruly participant in any competition or challenge we face. Fatigue, understood as exhaustion or feeling tired, is a complicated symptom or condition. It can be caused by a lack of sleep, depression, poor circulation and poor oxygenation but can also be a result of stress, boredom or lack of exercise. Fatigue can also be a side effect of medication, synthetic hormones or toxins built up in the body. Just as your body can become addicted to stress, it can become addicted to fatigue: what better excuse to ignore a challenge than, "I'm too tired!"
Let's go straight to the nutrients that may help you throw off the chains of fatigue. Vitamin C. Omega-3's. Caffeine. Fiber. Pro-biotics. Water. Complex carbohydrates. Polyphenols, phytonutrients and balanced electrolytes: magnesium, chloride, calcium, sodium, phosphorus and potassium. Looking at this list we can see similarities with the foods that help fight stress (in fact, the list is almost identical) and if we dig a little deeper we can see similarities with foods that promote sleep.
Where do we find these nutrients? Start with a cup of black coffee in the morning. Poach an egg and have it with whole wheat toast, freshly ground pepper and put a grapefruit on the side. Right there you have fiber, whole grains, protein, antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamin C and caffeine. Grab a hand full of almonds and cashews, 1/8 cup of raisins, craisins, or dehydrated cherries, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and dark cocoa bits for a snack (rocky mountain trail mix sold in the organic foods section of your supermarket has all of these). These ingredients will fill in the need for omega-3 fatty acids while delivering more polyphenols to your system.
For lunch enjoy something green: broccoli salad with walnuts and olive oil; avocado and turkey on whole grain flat bread; spinach salad with strawberries and almonds; spring greens and tomatoes with 2 or 3 ounces of lean meat or fish. The greens provide phytonutrients, vitamin C and a plethora of other fatigue fighting nutrients while the grains and proteins offer lasting fuel. Have a banana for an afternoon snack to help balance electrolytes. For dinner, green beans, brussels sprouts, or asparagus aside pork tenderloin, chicken or flank steak. If you are feeling it, enjoy a yogurt for dessert~
The number one tip for fighting stress, fatigue and lack of sleep is, "Skip the 'white' and 'processed' food that you might normally indulge in." White bread. Mashed potatoes. Pasta. Chips and crackers. Doughnuts. White rice. Breakfast cereal. Muffins. Biscuits.... Instead, eat real, whole, naturally occurring foods. Drink plenty of water. Give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. Fatigue is only an excuse keeping you from being the best version of yourself.
Anna~
Thursday, November 21, 2013
A Week in Review: Be Accountable for Exercise!
With a holiday menu planning and a naughty or nice list started, exercise is probably right there on the back burner, right? Isn't it funny how the less we focus on exercise and the more we focus on clutter the more stressed we become? Menus are cluttered. Shopping lists are cluttered. The November and December bank statements are cluttered with purchases (whether we remember them or not). The table is cluttered with dishes, the halls are decked with decor, the tree loaded with ornaments... and the stress we feel during the season is directly related to the mess. De-stress and enjoy more of your holiday season by adding in a little dance, a little jog, or a little vacuuming... Exercise!
From April 5, 2013:
Be Accountable for Exercise! (Exercise? What's That?)
Readers, you all know that exercise is serious business, but what you may not know is how many of your daily activities count as exercise! Running, walking, weight lifting, elliptical riding, biking, stair climbing and yoga all count. So does Pilates, Zumba (and the other kind of Zumba), Insanity, P90X, kick-boxing and Jazzercise! But bowling, vacuuming, Wii boxing, Just Dance-ing, skiing, reading and laundry all make the same list. When it comes to exercise, sweat isn't the tool of measurement; movement is!
This weekend I am running a road race with my husband and three hundred other 'in-shape' pavement pushers. As you have read, I have been running a few times a week on a treadmill with a revolving goal of beating my own 30 minute distance. My first 'run' delivered just under 2 miles while my latest half hour belt beating delivered a 2.74 mile distance. Still progress. Now I am committed to 10 Ks of bridge and borough through Jamestown, RI.
I vacuum a few times a week as well, the dog makes sure of it. More often than not I am more impressed and pleased with my afternoon push of the vacuum than I am with my afternoon pull on the treadmill. My entire body moves, my floors look great, and the air smell less like a Hazel-nut. Laundry brings the same satisfaction. Visual accomplishment accompanied by skinny jeans and clean cardigans. The best part? Home-work satisfies my body's need for movement! My Fitness Pal accepts my entries of folding and defur-ing as graciously as it accepts my 2.74 miles on a treadmill.
Movement in any shape or form requires, yep, you guessed it, fuel. I asked my husband this morning what to eat before a run and he replied, "I thought you would be the person to ask!?" So, as with all other things, I looked it up. Exercise requires a slow release of carbs, vitamins, and sugar. What you eat before you exercise depends on how many minutes you have between the meal and the moves. Oranges, because of their natural sugar, vitamin C, and fiber are great to eat right before a work out while hummus and carrots are good to eat about an hour or so before you hit the gym. Oatmeal is good early, yogurt is good closer to the run. Caffeine is good to help maintain focus and fight muscle fatigue but hot coffee works against you because it raises your body temperature. Needless to say, I found out way more than one paragraph's worth of information on, "What to eat before you run-" I encourage you to do a quick search before you lace up and vacuum... fuel is what all movement is made from!
Now off with you! Exercise, eat real food, give your vitamins their vitamins, drink plenty of water and remember to wash your hands. And please, if you can spare some, wish me some luck! I have never run anything close to 10K in my life...
Anna~
From April 5, 2013:
Be Accountable for Exercise! (Exercise? What's That?)
Readers, you all know that exercise is serious business, but what you may not know is how many of your daily activities count as exercise! Running, walking, weight lifting, elliptical riding, biking, stair climbing and yoga all count. So does Pilates, Zumba (and the other kind of Zumba), Insanity, P90X, kick-boxing and Jazzercise! But bowling, vacuuming, Wii boxing, Just Dance-ing, skiing, reading and laundry all make the same list. When it comes to exercise, sweat isn't the tool of measurement; movement is!
This weekend I am running a road race with my husband and three hundred other 'in-shape' pavement pushers. As you have read, I have been running a few times a week on a treadmill with a revolving goal of beating my own 30 minute distance. My first 'run' delivered just under 2 miles while my latest half hour belt beating delivered a 2.74 mile distance. Still progress. Now I am committed to 10 Ks of bridge and borough through Jamestown, RI.
I vacuum a few times a week as well, the dog makes sure of it. More often than not I am more impressed and pleased with my afternoon push of the vacuum than I am with my afternoon pull on the treadmill. My entire body moves, my floors look great, and the air smell less like a Hazel-nut. Laundry brings the same satisfaction. Visual accomplishment accompanied by skinny jeans and clean cardigans. The best part? Home-work satisfies my body's need for movement! My Fitness Pal accepts my entries of folding and defur-ing as graciously as it accepts my 2.74 miles on a treadmill.
Movement in any shape or form requires, yep, you guessed it, fuel. I asked my husband this morning what to eat before a run and he replied, "I thought you would be the person to ask!?" So, as with all other things, I looked it up. Exercise requires a slow release of carbs, vitamins, and sugar. What you eat before you exercise depends on how many minutes you have between the meal and the moves. Oranges, because of their natural sugar, vitamin C, and fiber are great to eat right before a work out while hummus and carrots are good to eat about an hour or so before you hit the gym. Oatmeal is good early, yogurt is good closer to the run. Caffeine is good to help maintain focus and fight muscle fatigue but hot coffee works against you because it raises your body temperature. Needless to say, I found out way more than one paragraph's worth of information on, "What to eat before you run-" I encourage you to do a quick search before you lace up and vacuum... fuel is what all movement is made from!
Now off with you! Exercise, eat real food, give your vitamins their vitamins, drink plenty of water and remember to wash your hands. And please, if you can spare some, wish me some luck! I have never run anything close to 10K in my life...
Anna~
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
A Week in Review:
Within a week we will all be in full holiday madness. Immediately following the Thanksgiving feast we will likely spend 30 days shopping, gifting, decorating, cleaning, hiding, seeking, baking, traveling and eating. Stress will come upon us in all shapes, wrappings, and sizes. Stress causes all sorts of internal damage... and... can be addicting. Here is my overview on how to interrupt stress. May it be a useful reminder to enjoy the holidays and digest them slowly instead of letting the stress of the season consume you.
From a Monday, even though it's Wednesday... January 28, 2013:
You Control Your Stress!
Mondays have been a 'day off' for me for years. We spend the week managing homework and activities and we spend the weekends managing free time and idle minds; Mondays are a great day to keep all thoughts on recuperating. The kids get on the bus, my husband goes to work, and the house falls into a hush. Monday's are my stress management, time management, me management day!
I am not great at time management. This concept may not seem important as far as health is concerned, but I believe it to be directly related to stress management. I have already noted stress affects blood sugar maintenance, but stress affects all areas of our health; hunger, digestion, sleep, happiness, blood pressure, the nervous system, hormones, etc., etc., etc. I cannot, in five paragraphs or less, explain how stress wreaks havoc on all ten body systems, but I can tell you a few tips on how to undo the damage!
Breathe and Eat! As I have touched on before, the body can become addicted to stress, especially if you do not eat often (at least at regular intervals). Stress causes that release of blood sugar from stores throughout the body and that can cause a temporary 'high' and subsequent 'low'. This confusion throws our hormones out of whack! When we feel the first signs of stress, instead of giving in to the adrenaline surge, take some deep breaths and eat something real! Real food is a much better source of sugar for blood sugar and can interrupt stress before stress interrupts your systems~
Sleep well and wake up without an alarm! Water can be a great alarm clock~ drink some before you go to bed... If you do not wish to use ancient sleep management methods, just switch your alarm from the buzzer to the radio. Use a pleasant ring tone or jingle instead of a sound associated with urgency or emergency. Instead of waking up by a 'flight or fight' hormone, wake up by way of a joyful noise; it will effectively reduce your likelihood of responding to other external factors with a stress response.
Another great stress management idea is to rearrange your routine. If you notice, as I do, that stress creeps in around 2 pm, move a few things around to thwart the need for sugar, for anger, or for caffeine. You are in complete control of your day, of your food, of your water intake, of your vitamin choice, and of your schedule. If something is not working, change it. If life feels cramped, eliminate something. When stress shows its ugly head eat real food, drink a big glass of water, chew on some vitamins, and wash your hands of it.
Have a wonderful, relaxing, stress reducing Monday. Yoga? Eggs? Prayer? Board game? Chic Flick? Insanity? All of the above? Enjoy~
Anna~
From a Monday, even though it's Wednesday... January 28, 2013:
You Control Your Stress!
Mondays have been a 'day off' for me for years. We spend the week managing homework and activities and we spend the weekends managing free time and idle minds; Mondays are a great day to keep all thoughts on recuperating. The kids get on the bus, my husband goes to work, and the house falls into a hush. Monday's are my stress management, time management, me management day!
I am not great at time management. This concept may not seem important as far as health is concerned, but I believe it to be directly related to stress management. I have already noted stress affects blood sugar maintenance, but stress affects all areas of our health; hunger, digestion, sleep, happiness, blood pressure, the nervous system, hormones, etc., etc., etc. I cannot, in five paragraphs or less, explain how stress wreaks havoc on all ten body systems, but I can tell you a few tips on how to undo the damage!
Breathe and Eat! As I have touched on before, the body can become addicted to stress, especially if you do not eat often (at least at regular intervals). Stress causes that release of blood sugar from stores throughout the body and that can cause a temporary 'high' and subsequent 'low'. This confusion throws our hormones out of whack! When we feel the first signs of stress, instead of giving in to the adrenaline surge, take some deep breaths and eat something real! Real food is a much better source of sugar for blood sugar and can interrupt stress before stress interrupts your systems~
Sleep well and wake up without an alarm! Water can be a great alarm clock~ drink some before you go to bed... If you do not wish to use ancient sleep management methods, just switch your alarm from the buzzer to the radio. Use a pleasant ring tone or jingle instead of a sound associated with urgency or emergency. Instead of waking up by a 'flight or fight' hormone, wake up by way of a joyful noise; it will effectively reduce your likelihood of responding to other external factors with a stress response.
Another great stress management idea is to rearrange your routine. If you notice, as I do, that stress creeps in around 2 pm, move a few things around to thwart the need for sugar, for anger, or for caffeine. You are in complete control of your day, of your food, of your water intake, of your vitamin choice, and of your schedule. If something is not working, change it. If life feels cramped, eliminate something. When stress shows its ugly head eat real food, drink a big glass of water, chew on some vitamins, and wash your hands of it.
Have a wonderful, relaxing, stress reducing Monday. Yoga? Eggs? Prayer? Board game? Chic Flick? Insanity? All of the above? Enjoy~
Anna~
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
A Week in Review: Where Do You Invest?
This last month I took a course on medication; how it's made, the process of approval, what it does inside the body, patient compliance, side effects, the role of the pharmacist, and how to spot a counterfeit pill. What I learned is this: There is no safe medicine. There is only a positive measurement if the benefits of any medicine out weight the side effects.
As a family we take very little medications; we are young, active, good diet, middle class, health insurance, extremely fortunate, and we spend money investing in our health.
From February 27, 2013:
Where Do You Invest?
My shopping habits have been continually evolving from filling the pantry to filling the fridge; from shopping twice a month to shopping once a week; from making semi-homemade meals to making homemade meals with food benefits in mind. I have also examined cost as factor when it comes to food in several posts since the beginning of this investigation. With my fridge full and my pantry empty, my wallet isn't taking the impact I thought it would, but my health and my family's health is!
How much money do you spend monthly on medication? Pain medication? Heart medication? Diabetes, edema, cholesterol or headache medication? If you had that money instead to spend on vitamins and food instead, would you buy better food? What if instead of waiting for more money or less medications you just made a decision to invest in your health instead of investing in your symptoms? The way to do that is through food; there is a food designed to heal everything~
I do not disbelieve in medicine. What I disbelieve in is eating fried, saturated, fatty, starchy, sugary foods and then using medication to treat the symptoms of conditions that occur due to diet and exercise choices. If you purchase a shirt at Kohl's and wear it while hiking and it tears, then wash it against the directions on the label and the shirt shrinks, you should not return it to Kohl's claiming a defective shirt. If you treat your body like a garbage can, you can not claim your body is defective to justify medication use. Medication only treats the smell, the discharge and the infections brought on by the garbage; medication does not undo the damages, it only disguises them.
Medication for certain short term conditions is necessary for sure. Some would argue long term medication is necessary for chronic conditions and I will not argue those beliefs; they are just not my beliefs. What I do believe in is food as Hippocrates defined it: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
So, again, I ask, 'What if you just made a decision to invest in your health instead of investing in your symptoms?' While you digest the question and form an answer, please eat real food, drink liters of water, give your vitamins your vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. 'What if?'
Anna~
As a family we take very little medications; we are young, active, good diet, middle class, health insurance, extremely fortunate, and we spend money investing in our health.
From February 27, 2013:
Where Do You Invest?
My shopping habits have been continually evolving from filling the pantry to filling the fridge; from shopping twice a month to shopping once a week; from making semi-homemade meals to making homemade meals with food benefits in mind. I have also examined cost as factor when it comes to food in several posts since the beginning of this investigation. With my fridge full and my pantry empty, my wallet isn't taking the impact I thought it would, but my health and my family's health is!
How much money do you spend monthly on medication? Pain medication? Heart medication? Diabetes, edema, cholesterol or headache medication? If you had that money instead to spend on vitamins and food instead, would you buy better food? What if instead of waiting for more money or less medications you just made a decision to invest in your health instead of investing in your symptoms? The way to do that is through food; there is a food designed to heal everything~
I do not disbelieve in medicine. What I disbelieve in is eating fried, saturated, fatty, starchy, sugary foods and then using medication to treat the symptoms of conditions that occur due to diet and exercise choices. If you purchase a shirt at Kohl's and wear it while hiking and it tears, then wash it against the directions on the label and the shirt shrinks, you should not return it to Kohl's claiming a defective shirt. If you treat your body like a garbage can, you can not claim your body is defective to justify medication use. Medication only treats the smell, the discharge and the infections brought on by the garbage; medication does not undo the damages, it only disguises them.
Medication for certain short term conditions is necessary for sure. Some would argue long term medication is necessary for chronic conditions and I will not argue those beliefs; they are just not my beliefs. What I do believe in is food as Hippocrates defined it: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
So, again, I ask, 'What if you just made a decision to invest in your health instead of investing in your symptoms?' While you digest the question and form an answer, please eat real food, drink liters of water, give your vitamins your vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. 'What if?'
Anna~
Monday, November 18, 2013
A Week in Review: Water
Over the past year I have written weeks in themes, with measured breaks in between. I have had my eyes on weight loss, vitamin intake, pantry un-stocking, vegetable finding, organizing, motivation and exercise, but some some of you have not had your eye on me long enough to have seen these thoughts. This week I am going to spend in review of some of my favorite (and maybe most important) thoughts.
From January 15. 2013:
Let's start with Water~ by Anna Burrill
Water. I don't drink enough of it. Coffee? Three cups a day. Wine? A few glasses a week, a few more on the weekends. But water? As a 135 pound female I am suppose to consume, without any other factors considered (like caffeine and alcohol) 70 ounces per day. With those other factors involved I am suppose to drink 102 ounces a day just to break even! Three liters of live giving H2O.
I started trying to accomplish this requirement on the 27th of December, 2012, with my brother while standing at his kitchen sink. We both were slightly hung over so we were starting in the red, but we agreed; before anything else entered our bodies we were to drink water. I filled a two liter bottle, grabbed two glasses from the cabinet, poured equal glasses of water and down it went. Three and a half glasses of water each, or about a liter, in only a few minutes. Every day since then I have measured out my liter of pre-coffee water and I drink it!
So, Why Water? Daily, we breath dirty air, we drink unfiltered water, and we eat food that has been sprayed with pesticides. The human body not only ingests toxins from the world surrounding it, it creates toxins in the form of metabolic waste. When we have a cold, more waste. When we are under stress, more waste. When we do not get enough sleep, our toxic waste production increases. Can you guess how we get rid of that waste?
An interesting article gives us a few very simple instructions: take out the trash, pee, poop, and perspire. Without water, none of these things are possible. The same water that cushions our joints, flushes our liver. The same water that protects our organs allows our cells to breathe. The same water that brings oxygen and nutrients throughout our bodies flushes our kidneys clean. When I looked at water as a solution to health instead of only a solution to thirst, I felt the need to drink.
I learned something else just now about toxins. Breath is also a detoxifier. "Breathing deeply and fully, called pranayama, will oxygenate your brain, body, and spirit, transforming your health in the process." Now, take a deep breath, go, eat real food, take your vitamins, drink oodles of water, and remember to wash your hands.
From January 15. 2013:
Let's start with Water~ by Anna Burrill
Water. I don't drink enough of it. Coffee? Three cups a day. Wine? A few glasses a week, a few more on the weekends. But water? As a 135 pound female I am suppose to consume, without any other factors considered (like caffeine and alcohol) 70 ounces per day. With those other factors involved I am suppose to drink 102 ounces a day just to break even! Three liters of live giving H2O.
I started trying to accomplish this requirement on the 27th of December, 2012, with my brother while standing at his kitchen sink. We both were slightly hung over so we were starting in the red, but we agreed; before anything else entered our bodies we were to drink water. I filled a two liter bottle, grabbed two glasses from the cabinet, poured equal glasses of water and down it went. Three and a half glasses of water each, or about a liter, in only a few minutes. Every day since then I have measured out my liter of pre-coffee water and I drink it!
So, Why Water? Daily, we breath dirty air, we drink unfiltered water, and we eat food that has been sprayed with pesticides. The human body not only ingests toxins from the world surrounding it, it creates toxins in the form of metabolic waste. When we have a cold, more waste. When we are under stress, more waste. When we do not get enough sleep, our toxic waste production increases. Can you guess how we get rid of that waste?
An interesting article gives us a few very simple instructions: take out the trash, pee, poop, and perspire. Without water, none of these things are possible. The same water that cushions our joints, flushes our liver. The same water that protects our organs allows our cells to breathe. The same water that brings oxygen and nutrients throughout our bodies flushes our kidneys clean. When I looked at water as a solution to health instead of only a solution to thirst, I felt the need to drink.
I learned something else just now about toxins. Breath is also a detoxifier. "Breathing deeply and fully, called pranayama, will oxygenate your brain, body, and spirit, transforming your health in the process." Now, take a deep breath, go, eat real food, take your vitamins, drink oodles of water, and remember to wash your hands.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Changes~
Thank you, readers and visitors alike, for tolerating my daily template changes. Today I dropped the 'blogspot' from my name by purchasing my own domain and with that decision came a desire to move toward a more professional look. I cannot say I am settled in just yet, for I cannot seem to find my 'brand' ...if you will. My wonderful sister is kindly contemplating how to encompass me in an artistic photograph and until then I cannot say the look won't change.
Though the picture and layout may not be concrete, a few new tabs above are here to stay. Now you can contact me directly without having to leave a published post. You can also find out a bit more about me and my journey through health and wellness in the "About Me" tab. I still have some additions to make to the content, but the tab allows you to know who is behind the writing. Trusting the source is important; I hope as you get to know me and my background, my education, my intentions and my interests, you will trust me as your source for good health.
To the right you will see a search window which is not exactly functioning correctly. I added it yesterday and directly after installation it worked beautifully. This morning I redirected to my domain, and the search no longer functions within this blog. The search does reveal answers from blogs I am linked to and from the web, however. Feel free to search within the links; hopefully I will be able to figure out how to get my own blog to search within itself sooner than later. Until then, use the labels just below Plan. Click whatever topic you would like to investigate further and all labeled posts will populate your screen. (And if you know how to fix my little problem, I welcome your direction. I am a bit illiterate when it comes to code.)
While you look around and leave your comments or suggestions, grab some real, delicious, naturally occurring food. Make sure to wash it in with water, to give your vitamins their vitamins, and to remember to wash your hands. I appreciate you stopping in to visit; if you like what you read, please register via one of the many avenues to the right. I always keep my information limited to five paragraphs or less.
Anna~
Though the picture and layout may not be concrete, a few new tabs above are here to stay. Now you can contact me directly without having to leave a published post. You can also find out a bit more about me and my journey through health and wellness in the "About Me" tab. I still have some additions to make to the content, but the tab allows you to know who is behind the writing. Trusting the source is important; I hope as you get to know me and my background, my education, my intentions and my interests, you will trust me as your source for good health.
To the right you will see a search window which is not exactly functioning correctly. I added it yesterday and directly after installation it worked beautifully. This morning I redirected to my domain, and the search no longer functions within this blog. The search does reveal answers from blogs I am linked to and from the web, however. Feel free to search within the links; hopefully I will be able to figure out how to get my own blog to search within itself sooner than later. Until then, use the labels just below Plan. Click whatever topic you would like to investigate further and all labeled posts will populate your screen. (And if you know how to fix my little problem, I welcome your direction. I am a bit illiterate when it comes to code.)
While you look around and leave your comments or suggestions, grab some real, delicious, naturally occurring food. Make sure to wash it in with water, to give your vitamins their vitamins, and to remember to wash your hands. I appreciate you stopping in to visit; if you like what you read, please register via one of the many avenues to the right. I always keep my information limited to five paragraphs or less.
Anna~
Friday, November 15, 2013
What is Affordable?
Winter is fast approaching and farmer's markets in the north are beginning to dwindle. Gardens are beginning to freeze and will soon be swept under blankets of snow. Community garden centers, who offer seasonal produce, will soon only have kale and potatoes on their roster. If you live in the south your available produce may be greater in numbers and longer in season, but winter crops are volatile and greatly supported by the global, or at least, continental market. Supply and demand, subsidies and season all effect the price of food (another post completely), and, for some, seeking out farmer's markets to shop for daily goods is an expense that cannot be made.
The alternative to fresh food is processed impostors. Let's take Mac n Cheese, a classic American favorite, to the table. Where authentic whole grain pasta can run between $3 and $4 a pound, Prince pasta (enriched) runs between a buck and a buck and a half. Where real cheddar cheese can run between $4 and $6 dollars a pound, Velveeta is half that and has coupons to boot. So if you want Mac n' Cheese for dinner you might spend between $12 and $16 dollars on great, wholesome ingredients or you might spend $9 or $10 on more processed alternatives, or you might just buy 3 boxes of Kraft and spend $4. Food companies make it very easy for us to afford a greater amount in processed alternatives, but the cost is much greater than that.
Let's go back to the beginning of my investigation for a moment: You are what you eat; Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food. If food is the foundation of health and if you choose the food you eat, then it is a reasonable idea that you choose your health. Your body can only make the things your body can make, but without the right food, the right nutrients, the right fats, the right minerals, the right fuel, your body will fail at even it's basic functions.
If you choose whole wheat pasta and aged cheese made from good quality milk taken from a grass fed cow, when you make your mac n' cheese you're adding wholesome calcium, complex carbohydrates, good protein, lasting fuel and needed calories to your body. Pairing it with a steamed organic vegetable or crisp salad can fortify the meal with plentiful vitamins, photochemical and antioxidants. If you choose the box you get chemically made cheese, enriched, processed pasta, chemical or synthetic vitamins, very little fuel, simple carbohydrates, a few more dollars in your wallet, and hunger soon to follow.
Does this answer the question? Where can Affordable food be found? No. Maybe I need to take another approach. Until I figure out how to illuminate affordability in five paragraphs or less I will just encourage you to eat real, naturally occurring food. While you plan your meals against your budget, calm yourself with cool, clean water. Remember to give your vitamins their vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. Bear with me and my passion, dear reader, for affordability does not only apply to the grocery cart~
Anna~
The alternative to fresh food is processed impostors. Let's take Mac n Cheese, a classic American favorite, to the table. Where authentic whole grain pasta can run between $3 and $4 a pound, Prince pasta (enriched) runs between a buck and a buck and a half. Where real cheddar cheese can run between $4 and $6 dollars a pound, Velveeta is half that and has coupons to boot. So if you want Mac n' Cheese for dinner you might spend between $12 and $16 dollars on great, wholesome ingredients or you might spend $9 or $10 on more processed alternatives, or you might just buy 3 boxes of Kraft and spend $4. Food companies make it very easy for us to afford a greater amount in processed alternatives, but the cost is much greater than that.
Let's go back to the beginning of my investigation for a moment: You are what you eat; Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food. If food is the foundation of health and if you choose the food you eat, then it is a reasonable idea that you choose your health. Your body can only make the things your body can make, but without the right food, the right nutrients, the right fats, the right minerals, the right fuel, your body will fail at even it's basic functions.
If you choose whole wheat pasta and aged cheese made from good quality milk taken from a grass fed cow, when you make your mac n' cheese you're adding wholesome calcium, complex carbohydrates, good protein, lasting fuel and needed calories to your body. Pairing it with a steamed organic vegetable or crisp salad can fortify the meal with plentiful vitamins, photochemical and antioxidants. If you choose the box you get chemically made cheese, enriched, processed pasta, chemical or synthetic vitamins, very little fuel, simple carbohydrates, a few more dollars in your wallet, and hunger soon to follow.
Does this answer the question? Where can Affordable food be found? No. Maybe I need to take another approach. Until I figure out how to illuminate affordability in five paragraphs or less I will just encourage you to eat real, naturally occurring food. While you plan your meals against your budget, calm yourself with cool, clean water. Remember to give your vitamins their vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. Bear with me and my passion, dear reader, for affordability does not only apply to the grocery cart~
Anna~
Thursday, November 7, 2013
What Does it Cost?
Mixed among the staples in the refrigerator and pantry are hidden treasures and poisonous gems. A grand bowl of seasonal greens and nuts are more valuable than gold, while the tub of spreadable margarine isn't worth the plastic it comes in. The loaf of whole wheat manufactured bread is a mediocre source of whole grains, and the condensed soup and its round bottom can can be a sodium and sugar pitfall. We all know white bread is not made of whole grains, that condensed soup is a poor excuse for soup, and we even know margarine is a poor choice of added fat but we purchase the little bastards anyway. Why? Say it with me, readers... "They are cheap!"
Shopping for real food is not only time consuming, but costly. Real butter is more expensive than margarine. Making chicken stock is time consuming and the soups on the shelves are cheap and ready made. Organic is more costly than conventionally grown produce; frozen is less expensive than fresh; canned is less expensive than frozen. Hormone free milk is more expensive, and grass fed beef can break the bank when feeding more than one. To add insult to injury, there aren't very many coupons for fresh produce and cage free chickens.
So what can be done? First, it takes a plan. What days of the week are you going to be home? How many meals do you anticipate eating out? How much money can be allotted for food? How many people are at your table? What season is it? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you realistically shop and can eliminate wasted or unused produce. I shop for 5-7 days at a time for 5 (including growing children) so I understand that it is no delightful task, but throwing away something that costs more to buy fresh is even less enjoyable. Fruits and veggies are necessary staples in any diet; the benefits of fresh certainly outweigh the cost.
Take it one step further and plan for multipurpose meals. Roast a great looking' chicken on Monday and use it for chicken soup, quesadillas, enchiladas or on a garden salad throughout the week. A good roaster can cost anywhere from 8 to 20 bucks~ use every bit! Boil the carcass with onions, garlic, celery, carrots, salt and herbs and freeze the yield so when a recipe calls for chicken stock/bouillon you have it on hand. The same with pork roast; roast and root vegetables on Tuesday, bbq pork sandies and coleslaw on Thursday. Beef roast on Wednesday with tomatoes and wild rice, then beef and broccoli over egg noodles on Saturday afternoon. Utilize leftovers by repurposing the main dish! If the budget doesn't support the grass fed varieties, choose good quality meats that fit your budget. Remember, you don't need meat at every meal.
Another tip? Make some bread. This week I made bread with my daughter via my mother's 'beginner's' recipe. Whole wheat and white flour, milk, yeast, water, sugar, real butter, a bit of olive oil and a little bit of time produced great bread and much fun. Because I had all of the ingredients and because I purchased all of the ingredients to support other recipes, the bread didn't really cost us a thing! I encourage you all to eat as much real food as you can, to wash it in with water, to give your vitamins their vitamins, and to remember to wash your hands (especially if you are going to make bread).
Anna~
Shopping for real food is not only time consuming, but costly. Real butter is more expensive than margarine. Making chicken stock is time consuming and the soups on the shelves are cheap and ready made. Organic is more costly than conventionally grown produce; frozen is less expensive than fresh; canned is less expensive than frozen. Hormone free milk is more expensive, and grass fed beef can break the bank when feeding more than one. To add insult to injury, there aren't very many coupons for fresh produce and cage free chickens.
So what can be done? First, it takes a plan. What days of the week are you going to be home? How many meals do you anticipate eating out? How much money can be allotted for food? How many people are at your table? What season is it? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you realistically shop and can eliminate wasted or unused produce. I shop for 5-7 days at a time for 5 (including growing children) so I understand that it is no delightful task, but throwing away something that costs more to buy fresh is even less enjoyable. Fruits and veggies are necessary staples in any diet; the benefits of fresh certainly outweigh the cost.
Take it one step further and plan for multipurpose meals. Roast a great looking' chicken on Monday and use it for chicken soup, quesadillas, enchiladas or on a garden salad throughout the week. A good roaster can cost anywhere from 8 to 20 bucks~ use every bit! Boil the carcass with onions, garlic, celery, carrots, salt and herbs and freeze the yield so when a recipe calls for chicken stock/bouillon you have it on hand. The same with pork roast; roast and root vegetables on Tuesday, bbq pork sandies and coleslaw on Thursday. Beef roast on Wednesday with tomatoes and wild rice, then beef and broccoli over egg noodles on Saturday afternoon. Utilize leftovers by repurposing the main dish! If the budget doesn't support the grass fed varieties, choose good quality meats that fit your budget. Remember, you don't need meat at every meal.
Another tip? Make some bread. This week I made bread with my daughter via my mother's 'beginner's' recipe. Whole wheat and white flour, milk, yeast, water, sugar, real butter, a bit of olive oil and a little bit of time produced great bread and much fun. Because I had all of the ingredients and because I purchased all of the ingredients to support other recipes, the bread didn't really cost us a thing! I encourage you all to eat as much real food as you can, to wash it in with water, to give your vitamins their vitamins, and to remember to wash your hands (especially if you are going to make bread).
Anna~
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Staples
Staples: pieces of bent metal or wire pushed through something or clipped over it as a fastening, in particular, or used to attach or secure. Attach. Secure. Sure staples are used to attach our grocery list to our coupons but I am more interested in talking about the staples we use to make our meals cohesive. The staples in the pantry, staples in the crisper drawer, staples on the cutting board and staples in the recipe box. We all have different tastes and different nutritional needs, but I bet our staples are uniform.
Lets start in the pantry. Dry goods probably look like flour, sugar, honey, peanut butter, salt, pepper, herbs and spice, rice, pasta and a variety of oils and vinegars. In addition we can probably spy canned beans and tomatoes on the shelf, a bag of onions next to a bag of potatoes, and a crock filled with heads of garlic. Just within these foods we can amply find vitamins C, E, B-6 and 3, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, sodium, chloride, calcium, omega-3 and 6, selenium, antioxidants, and natural antibiotics. Depending on the label, whole grains may be found in the flour bag.
The refrigerator has stapes as well. Eggs, milk, butter and cheese, for those of us who aren't practicing vegans. Celery and carrots in the crisper, oranges and apples in the 'other drawer', and a slew of regular suspects in the door. Within this basic stash we can adequately find vitamins K, C, A, D, and B-6 and 12, calcium, sodium, chloride, folic acid, magnesium, iron, phytochemicals, antioxidants, protein, complex carbohydrates, and natural antibiotics. Then glance at the bread or meat cutting board: chicken, pork, beef and fish are typical western staples, as is white, corn or whole wheat bread. Carbs, iron, a list of B vitamins, essential fats, protein, whole grains, and choline are present.
Lets start in the pantry. Dry goods probably look like flour, sugar, honey, peanut butter, salt, pepper, herbs and spice, rice, pasta and a variety of oils and vinegars. In addition we can probably spy canned beans and tomatoes on the shelf, a bag of onions next to a bag of potatoes, and a crock filled with heads of garlic. Just within these foods we can amply find vitamins C, E, B-6 and 3, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, sodium, chloride, calcium, omega-3 and 6, selenium, antioxidants, and natural antibiotics. Depending on the label, whole grains may be found in the flour bag.
The refrigerator has stapes as well. Eggs, milk, butter and cheese, for those of us who aren't practicing vegans. Celery and carrots in the crisper, oranges and apples in the 'other drawer', and a slew of regular suspects in the door. Within this basic stash we can adequately find vitamins K, C, A, D, and B-6 and 12, calcium, sodium, chloride, folic acid, magnesium, iron, phytochemicals, antioxidants, protein, complex carbohydrates, and natural antibiotics. Then glance at the bread or meat cutting board: chicken, pork, beef and fish are typical western staples, as is white, corn or whole wheat bread. Carbs, iron, a list of B vitamins, essential fats, protein, whole grains, and choline are present.
If you take a look at the list of vitamins and minerals recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), every one of them is sufficiently present in just the staples alone. The trick is to eat the staples! Now, I don't really mind of you ignore what the FDA recommends, but if you are ignoring the staples and instead utilizing the processed, convenience foods you have lined your shelves with, you may be deficient in the vitamins and minerals that are literally staring you in the face each and every time you occupy the kitchen.
So, eat real, naturally occurring food, like carrots, potatoes and garlic! Wash them in with water, or make a soup! Give your vitamins their vitamins by eating herbs and spices, oranges and oils! And, because cooking can be messy, remember to wash your hands. After you eat and drink and wash, sort through that old recipe box of your mother's; I am sure all of the staples are in there ready to be utilized!
So, eat real, naturally occurring food, like carrots, potatoes and garlic! Wash them in with water, or make a soup! Give your vitamins their vitamins by eating herbs and spices, oranges and oils! And, because cooking can be messy, remember to wash your hands. After you eat and drink and wash, sort through that old recipe box of your mother's; I am sure all of the staples are in there ready to be utilized!
Anna~
Monday, October 28, 2013
Planning and Appreciation~
There are several daily habits that I am in the process of getting rid of. Caffeine, which I rely on heavily, has to go. Chronic dehydration is something I suffer from, an easily remedied problem that I commit to reversing by simply drinking more water. Television is a time suck that I look forward to largely eliminating by practicing my guitar and writing down my thoughts. I have also been feeling mentally lethargic lately, and thankfully school starts today which will help invigorate my mind. As many of you do, I use Monday as a day to make plans and start fresh. As I look at my own progress over the last year I see many prolonged stays at the "Going To" resort. But if I look among the weeds and within the cracks, I see progress and success and am proud of my own accomplishments.
That is all. My hope for you is that you find the time to eat and enjoy real, naturally occurring food. That you find enough water to nourish your body with and you drink it. That you give your vitamins their vitamins and feel well and healthy because of it. And, because I may run into you in an unexpected place and reach out to welcomely embrace you, please remember to wash your hands. May your Monday be full of planning, and appreciation for where you are starting from.
Anna~
That is all. My hope for you is that you find the time to eat and enjoy real, naturally occurring food. That you find enough water to nourish your body with and you drink it. That you give your vitamins their vitamins and feel well and healthy because of it. And, because I may run into you in an unexpected place and reach out to welcomely embrace you, please remember to wash your hands. May your Monday be full of planning, and appreciation for where you are starting from.
Anna~
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
This is Technically Only Five Paragraphs
This morning my daughter wandered into the kitchen with sleepy eyes, opened the fridge, squinted from the brightness inside, looked at me and said, "Mom, I don't think I have ever seen our fridge so empty." I agreed. We spent a long relaxing weekend in Maine, so last Friday morning the trash collector was gifted the leftovers from the fridge and the garbage disposal devoured the ends of salsa jars and lunch containers. (We unfortunately are not able to compost where we are.) Aside from a stray yogurt and a half an onion, the shelves are bare. But, before I go shopping, a menu must be concocted! Let's start with this:
ALE-BRAISED BRATWURST WITH GERMAN POTATO SALAD
BETTER THAN CHICKEN SOUP
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
4 cups low-sodium mushroom, vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 cup julienned fresh kale
1 cup cubed butternut squash
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
6 slices astragalus root (optional)
1 fresh lemon, Juice of
1 teaspoon miso
Method:
In a sauce pot over medium-high heat, saute onion and garlic in oil 3 minutes. Add turmeric and mushrooms. Saute 2 minutes. Add broth, kale, squash, ginger, cayenne and astragalus. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, add lemon juice and miso (adding miso when still very hot will diminish its probiotic benefits). Cover and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
ALE-BRAISED BRATWURST WITH GERMAN POTATO SALAD
Grab a couple bottles of beer and boil enough brats to feed your brats, and this recipe for German potato salad:
1 1/2 pound small red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
4 slices thick-cut bacon, about 1/3 pound
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
How?
Place sliced potatoes in cold salted water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, yet not so soft they fall apart, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a sauté pan, fry bacon until crisp. Crumble and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Over medium heat, whisk flour into the bacon fat and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sugar and mustard, followed by water and vinegar. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in potatoes and bacon and toss gently to coat. Serve with Brats.
1 1/2 pound small red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
4 slices thick-cut bacon, about 1/3 pound
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
How?
Place sliced potatoes in cold salted water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, yet not so soft they fall apart, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a sauté pan, fry bacon until crisp. Crumble and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Over medium heat, whisk flour into the bacon fat and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sugar and mustard, followed by water and vinegar. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in potatoes and bacon and toss gently to coat. Serve with Brats.
Nutritional Info:
PER SERVING: 500 calories (140 from fat), 16g total fat, 8g saturated fat, 90mg cholesterol, 310mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (dietary fiber, sugar), 31g protein.
PER SERVING: 500 calories (140 from fat), 16g total fat, 8g saturated fat, 90mg cholesterol, 310mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (dietary fiber, sugar), 31g protein.
Okay, so you all know how much I love sausage, and since it's fall, potato salad seems the perfect pairing. But, you can also tell there are calories and fat and carbs in this meal, not to mention salt, and that combination may be a little too aggressive for some to digest. I understand if you are confused by this meal choice. For me, my growing family and athletic lifestyle, this meal serves many needs: fuel, fat, nutrition, flavor, and simplicity. For some of you, cholesterol rich foods and fat calories may be a bit over the top. This may be a better fit:
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
4 cups low-sodium mushroom, vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 cup julienned fresh kale
1 cup cubed butternut squash
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
6 slices astragalus root (optional)
1 fresh lemon, Juice of
1 teaspoon miso
Method:
In a sauce pot over medium-high heat, saute onion and garlic in oil 3 minutes. Add turmeric and mushrooms. Saute 2 minutes. Add broth, kale, squash, ginger, cayenne and astragalus. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, add lemon juice and miso (adding miso when still very hot will diminish its probiotic benefits). Cover and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Info:
PER SERVING: 90 calories (5 from fat), 0.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 2g protein
(Recipe from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/better-chicken-soup)
PER SERVING: 90 calories (5 from fat), 0.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 2g protein
(Recipe from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/better-chicken-soup)
It is important to remember that each person, each family, has different nutritional needs. Where we need more fat, more fuel, more electrolytes, and more calories because we are very active and have growing chickens (if you can call them kids, I can call them chickens), some need less fat and calories and more nutrients to support weight loss or cholesterol reduction. May I suggest we all eat real, naturally occurring foods, drink plenty of water, give our vitamins their vitamins, and remember to wash our hands. Our diets may not be the same, but the foundation should be made of food~ What is the definition of food again?
Anna~
Saturday, October 5, 2013
For Weekend Digestion
I only have five paragraphs, so instead of writing my thoughts today, I am going to rely on some images to illustrate more on oils. These images were found from other sources (my apologies and appreciation for it at once) and break oils apart nutritionally. Bar graphs show healthy benefits of oils and the not so healthy accompaniments. Here is what you need to remember: Saturated fat is bad for your body; monounsaturated fat is good; high omega-3 fatty acids is good (the body cannot make them); high omega-6 fatty acids is bad (your body makes these all by itself, omega fatty acids need to be balanced).
Remember to eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Remember to eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Oil.
Oils. We know them. Rachael talks about EVOO, cakes ask for vegetable oil, dressing requires an oil, as does mayonnaise, and we grease our pans and irons with oil. My counter is dressed with four different cooking oils at all times, they are never moved from beside the stove, for use multiple times a day. "Why oil?" And, maybe more importantly, "What oil?"
Oil is a fat. Because we have talked about fat we know that it contains 9 calories per gram and should represent less than 35% of our diet. We also know there are liquid fats, solid fats, animal fats, plant fats which fall into categories such as saturated, unsaturated, hydrogenated, trans, etc., fat. Oil, mainly a plant or vegetable fat, is liquid at room temperature, provides omega-3 and other essential fatty acids, and delivers monounsaturated (good) fats to the body. Olive oil contains flavanoids, macadamia oil contains antioxidants, coconut oil is low in omega 6 but high in lauric acid. Using a variety of oils means you get a variety of benefits, benefits not present in animal fats and oils.
So, "What oil?"
*Not all oils are created equal. When choosing an oil, find the words 'expeller pressed' or 'fist cold pressed'; this means the oils were extracted with pressure instead of a chemical exchange.
*Oils, no matter the variety, should also be organic. Non-organic plants are blanketed with herbicides and pesticides. When the berry or fruit is pressed to release the oil the internal herbicides and residual pesticides flow with it. When you consume the oil you then consume the chemicals. Choose organic.
*You also need to make sure the oil on the label is the oil in the bottle. Some oils are mixed with filler oils (cheaper) and you may be duped into thinking you are eating something you are not. Looking at the ingredient list may not suffice here, for some filler oils are not listed (and don't need to be), but there might be a quality seal present.
*A Non-GMO (genetically modified organism) label or claim is important as well.
I cannot possibly capture and explain all of the oils in two or three paragraphs but I found a great chart online that does. Thanks to eatingRULES.com, I now have a greater understanding of how some oils compare to others. It's called the Cooking Oils Comparison Chart. Click the link, print it out and place it on your fridge. Great learning tool, great cooking guide, great advice and comparison chart!
Eat real, delicious, naturally occurring food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. I will soon further our education on oil. Hydrogenated? Saturated? Refined? It's worth a second look. The investigation continues...
Anna~
Oil is a fat. Because we have talked about fat we know that it contains 9 calories per gram and should represent less than 35% of our diet. We also know there are liquid fats, solid fats, animal fats, plant fats which fall into categories such as saturated, unsaturated, hydrogenated, trans, etc., fat. Oil, mainly a plant or vegetable fat, is liquid at room temperature, provides omega-3 and other essential fatty acids, and delivers monounsaturated (good) fats to the body. Olive oil contains flavanoids, macadamia oil contains antioxidants, coconut oil is low in omega 6 but high in lauric acid. Using a variety of oils means you get a variety of benefits, benefits not present in animal fats and oils.So, "What oil?" *Not all oils are created equal. When choosing an oil, find the words 'expeller pressed' or 'fist cold pressed'; this means the oils were extracted with pressure instead of a chemical exchange.
*Oils, no matter the variety, should also be organic. Non-organic plants are blanketed with herbicides and pesticides. When the berry or fruit is pressed to release the oil the internal herbicides and residual pesticides flow with it. When you consume the oil you then consume the chemicals. Choose organic.
*You also need to make sure the oil on the label is the oil in the bottle. Some oils are mixed with filler oils (cheaper) and you may be duped into thinking you are eating something you are not. Looking at the ingredient list may not suffice here, for some filler oils are not listed (and don't need to be), but there might be a quality seal present. *A Non-GMO (genetically modified organism) label or claim is important as well.
I cannot possibly capture and explain all of the oils in two or three paragraphs but I found a great chart online that does. Thanks to eatingRULES.com, I now have a greater understanding of how some oils compare to others. It's called the Cooking Oils Comparison Chart. Click the link, print it out and place it on your fridge. Great learning tool, great cooking guide, great advice and comparison chart!
Eat real, delicious, naturally occurring food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. I will soon further our education on oil. Hydrogenated? Saturated? Refined? It's worth a second look. The investigation continues...
Anna~
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Even I Can't Find a Replacement for Sausage
This morning we woke late so instead of rushing the kids to pack their own lunch I scampered through the kitchen to assemble their meals myself. Grapes, peanuts, yogurt, roast chicken and cheese sandwiches on bakery bread, a tall water bottle and love. I consider our selections pretty healthy, but if I look I can see salt, if I scrutinize I can see sugar, if I wonder I can see white flour and processed meat. I was recently approached to answer the question, "What should I pack my kids for lunch?" and I offered an extensive list, but I do realize adding foods together to make lunch can be tricky.
The go-to for lunch is a sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly, ham and cheese, and BLT's; a few different food groups represented between two pieces of bread. To make sure your sandwich isn't a processed mess, read your labels. The big brand peanut butter adds hydrogenated oils to avoid separation; sugar and salt are also added to the paste. Instead of getting a relatively good source of protein, you get a good dose of sugar, a nice dent in your sodium requirement and a dose of hydrogenated oil (I will dissect oils tomorrow if you are wondering why this is concerning).
Peanuts are a very nutritious food, so please do not beleive that I am suggesting peanuts or beloved butter is bad for you. One quarter cup of peanuts have 35% of your daily value of manganese which your body needs in order to: utilize biotin, thiamin, ascorbic acid, and choline; enhance bone strength; synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol; maintain normal blood sugar levels; promote optimal function of your thyroid gland; maintain nerve health; protect your cells from free-radical damage. Peanuts also provide tryptophan, folate, copper, protein and vitamin B3. Peanut butter is a good food choice, but make sure your label reads more like this:
And what about lunch meat? Is eating salt cured ham a good choice? What about a football sized chicken breast pumped full with brine to add flavor? How about salami and other loaf meats and sausages? I am a sucker for sausage, as are most Wisconsinites, but are they good for me? Some research says that adding deli meat to your diet keeps portion size low and adds protein to any sandwich, but the reality is, "No." A natural chicken breast is about 5 ounces, a natural turkey breast is about 9 ounces. If you wish for a roast turkey sandwich, buy a free range bird, roast it with your favorite veggies and herbs, slice it thin and put it on a great piece of bread. (Honestly though, even I can't find a replacement for sausage;-) Detour around the deli and head to the butcher in stead. If you are going to eat meat try for all you're worth to eat the real thing.
It is a simple concept, I know, to eat real food, to drink plenty of water and to give your vitamins their vitamins. But it is difficult to live and practice this simple concept with all of the sugared, salted, brined, enriched, processed foods that are marketed as 'natural', 'healthy' and 'good'. The best way to know you are getting natural, healthy, good food is to choose the foods without the labels. After you shop, before you eat, remember to wash your hands. See you tomorrow~
The go-to for lunch is a sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly, ham and cheese, and BLT's; a few different food groups represented between two pieces of bread. To make sure your sandwich isn't a processed mess, read your labels. The big brand peanut butter adds hydrogenated oils to avoid separation; sugar and salt are also added to the paste. Instead of getting a relatively good source of protein, you get a good dose of sugar, a nice dent in your sodium requirement and a dose of hydrogenated oil (I will dissect oils tomorrow if you are wondering why this is concerning). And what about lunch meat? Is eating salt cured ham a good choice? What about a football sized chicken breast pumped full with brine to add flavor? How about salami and other loaf meats and sausages? I am a sucker for sausage, as are most Wisconsinites, but are they good for me? Some research says that adding deli meat to your diet keeps portion size low and adds protein to any sandwich, but the reality is, "No." A natural chicken breast is about 5 ounces, a natural turkey breast is about 9 ounces. If you wish for a roast turkey sandwich, buy a free range bird, roast it with your favorite veggies and herbs, slice it thin and put it on a great piece of bread. (Honestly though, even I can't find a replacement for sausage;-) Detour around the deli and head to the butcher in stead. If you are going to eat meat try for all you're worth to eat the real thing.
It is a simple concept, I know, to eat real food, to drink plenty of water and to give your vitamins their vitamins. But it is difficult to live and practice this simple concept with all of the sugared, salted, brined, enriched, processed foods that are marketed as 'natural', 'healthy' and 'good'. The best way to know you are getting natural, healthy, good food is to choose the foods without the labels. After you shop, before you eat, remember to wash your hands. See you tomorrow~
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Change Toward Balance
Homeostasis; the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, esp. as maintained by physiological processes (good ol' Webster's Dictionary). Balance. An equal relationship between give and take, exercise and ease, joy and judgement, work and play, food and elimination. What goes in must come out! What goes up must come down! One hand washes the other! So why does the word 'balance' stress us out?
The first response to change, or to the suggestion that balance is needed, is naturally defensive. "My house is in order, I just had a stressful week! Normally, everything is fine!" Self reflection might reveal no time for breakfast, two bowel movements a week, poor sleep and a hectic work or education schedule leaving very little time for play, but if that is 'normal' then everything might very well be perceived as fine. We all defend our existence, our choices, our position in the world we live within. In fact, it would be abnormal if we didn't. It is important, though, to identify what we are defending.
The second response to change is naturally resistance. If the life lived now is normal, no matter how dissatisfying, changing it means unsteadying the ship. There is comfort in expectation; knowing what will happen if you do what is expected, or knowing what will happen if you don't. Sometimes resistance occurs simply because of fear of what is unknown, which is where the statement, "That is the way I've always done it!" comes from. Change toward balance means learning a new behavior or recipe or routine which might make you nervous. It might be important to evaluate why feeling nervous, nervous meaning a feeling of unease or apprehension, is equated with 'bad'.
The third response to a suggestion of change is feeling overwhelmed. "If I change this, then I have to change that, which means others will be effected and I might face adversity, which will cause me stress and unease so I will just keep things they way they are no matter how dissatisfying they are to me." Chances are, if your surroundings and routine are dissatisfying to you, they are likely dissatisfying to the others directly effected by the current state of 'normal'. Let me assure you, dear reader, change toward balance is not as overwhelming and stressful as you imagine. Change toward balance is actually stress relieving, time freeing and love making!
Here is how to begin: Add something and discontinue believing that change means taking something away. Change toward balance is not a graduation from a bottle to a cup, a pacifier to a blanket, a blanket to a big-kid-bed, a hall-light to a night-light. Change toward balance is the antithesis to the child instilled meaning of change, or graduation from the known to the new unknown. Change toward balance is the act of mindfully and intentionally adding what you intelligently identify as absent which in effect balances the boat. While you digest the thought, eat real, naturally occurring foods, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands (that's a good balance).
Anna~
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
A Little Gardening~
Investigating health by the roots has pulled me into the soil where, as I've unearthed simplicity, I've become filthy with bits of information and contaminated by a need to fit it all together. So, when I read a very simple quote this past Monday it was absorbed, and there it has grown into something I wish to share with you now. Because I cannot find the quote now and at risk of plagiarizing another, what I have learned goes something like this: This is not a short term fix, it is a lifelong change!
This. What is 'This'? Is 'This' a diet? An exercise plan? A career change? A new habit to drink more water? What is 'This'? We all make New Year's Resolutions, pacts with our best friends, deals with the Devil and concessions for our loved ones, but most of those are temporary; we adopt extreme or uncomfortable behaviors for a short period of time until the commitment expires or until we decide the conditions are unrealistic, and we then revert to old habits. 'This' cannot be that.
What about diet then? The West has a very cooperative relationship between diet and health; if you adopt one of countless restrictive diets (fat free, sugar free, high protein, low carb, etc.) you will be healthy, sort of like believing that if you have shoes and a tie on, you are dressed, even if the shirt, pants, undergarments and belt are absent. Because health is mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and cellular, 'this' cannot be that, either.
So it is exercise? I find that exercise is seasonal. When it's warm I run, when it's cold I ski, when it's rainy I read, when it's hot I swim. I also find seasons where I don't exercise at all! And my career, too, alters and evolves with the ever changing tide in our home. The Navy schedule, the children growing, the needs of my family balanced with the needs of my self. I even find it ironic that I am jumping into pursuit of a career where I help others figure out what 'this' is when I am still milling over the definition of 'this' myself. Because the definition of 'this' is ambiguous and cantankerous at once, I suggest we find the definition another way: Dear reader, you are not something that requires a short term fix! You, dear reader, deserve a long, healthy life. What can you change in order to make that happen!
I believe that health has a foundation; food. Everything made within your body is made from the food you eat. But health is not something that occurs by eating three bean salad and barley. 'Health' is 'This'. Health happens not with short term fixes but does happen when life long changes occur! Dig in to a real, delicious meal, wash it in with water, and always give your vitamins their vitamins. After some seed planting, cultivation and turning of the soil, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
This. What is 'This'? Is 'This' a diet? An exercise plan? A career change? A new habit to drink more water? What is 'This'? We all make New Year's Resolutions, pacts with our best friends, deals with the Devil and concessions for our loved ones, but most of those are temporary; we adopt extreme or uncomfortable behaviors for a short period of time until the commitment expires or until we decide the conditions are unrealistic, and we then revert to old habits. 'This' cannot be that.
What about diet then? The West has a very cooperative relationship between diet and health; if you adopt one of countless restrictive diets (fat free, sugar free, high protein, low carb, etc.) you will be healthy, sort of like believing that if you have shoes and a tie on, you are dressed, even if the shirt, pants, undergarments and belt are absent. Because health is mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and cellular, 'this' cannot be that, either.
So it is exercise? I find that exercise is seasonal. When it's warm I run, when it's cold I ski, when it's rainy I read, when it's hot I swim. I also find seasons where I don't exercise at all! And my career, too, alters and evolves with the ever changing tide in our home. The Navy schedule, the children growing, the needs of my family balanced with the needs of my self. I even find it ironic that I am jumping into pursuit of a career where I help others figure out what 'this' is when I am still milling over the definition of 'this' myself. Because the definition of 'this' is ambiguous and cantankerous at once, I suggest we find the definition another way: Dear reader, you are not something that requires a short term fix! You, dear reader, deserve a long, healthy life. What can you change in order to make that happen!
I believe that health has a foundation; food. Everything made within your body is made from the food you eat. But health is not something that occurs by eating three bean salad and barley. 'Health' is 'This'. Health happens not with short term fixes but does happen when life long changes occur! Dig in to a real, delicious meal, wash it in with water, and always give your vitamins their vitamins. After some seed planting, cultivation and turning of the soil, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Friday, September 20, 2013
Hydration?
You know water keeps you hydrated, right? Simple question, I am sure, but what does hydrated mean? By definition hydrated means 'chemically combined with water.' When you drink water not only are your sweat glands able to secrete, and your mouth able to salivate, but your cells are able to breath. Cell respiration is the basal function within the body that supports cellular health, cellular energy and, thus, homeostasis. How did we get there from here? Let's take a walk~
Back in the 6th grade we learned that cellular respiration is dependent on water. Remember that word Osmosis? Osmosis is the process by which water (or other liquids) can pass through the wall of a cell. Each cell in the body has an optimal water content level necessary to ensure proper cell function. Osmosis allows water to pass through our cells and, as one cell takes what it needs, it passes the rest on so other cells, too, can remain hydrated. This optimal hydration allows the cell to gain energy, produce energy and dispose of waste; cellular respiration. This, of course is an overly simplified glimpse at cellular respiration, but it's extremely important to touch upon because the body is made of Cells!
Drink that in for a moment. Each cell needs to be continually hydrated to be able to gain and produce energy, and to also secrete waste. Each system in the body is made up of different types of cells making up different types of tissues which comprise different organs that perform different functions. Some organs clean our blood, some move the blood. Some tissues transfer information, some organs interpret information. Some organs move food while other organs and tissues supply enzymes and acids necessary for the digestion of it. Not one organ works on its own and not one organ is without cells. If each cell in the tissues of each organ are hydrated and able to gain and produce energy and able to discard waste, each organ will be able to function in synergy with other organs. Almost~
If water is provided, what else is needed? Well, where do cells get energy? Just as we get energy from the food we eat and the air we breath, cells trap energy from the molecules within the food we eat and the air we breath. Amino acids. Sugar. Fatty acids. Oxygen. What the body can't make on its own we need to find in food. Enjoying clean protein, natural, unrefined sugar, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and clean water enables your cells to breathe! When you provide those delicious ingredients to your cells, homeostasis is not only achievable but likely.
Geez~ That sounds like a lot of work! While you digest all of the boring science of cellular respiration, make a delicious meal with real, nutritious food. Drink a glass of cool, crisp water. Maybe grab some vitamin rich fruits to support the nutrients you make. And, because germs love to attack our cells, the very ones we are trying to hydrate and support and protect, remember to wash your hands. (Hydration and nutrition isn't all that hard after all~)
Anna~
Back in the 6th grade we learned that cellular respiration is dependent on water. Remember that word Osmosis? Osmosis is the process by which water (or other liquids) can pass through the wall of a cell. Each cell in the body has an optimal water content level necessary to ensure proper cell function. Osmosis allows water to pass through our cells and, as one cell takes what it needs, it passes the rest on so other cells, too, can remain hydrated. This optimal hydration allows the cell to gain energy, produce energy and dispose of waste; cellular respiration. This, of course is an overly simplified glimpse at cellular respiration, but it's extremely important to touch upon because the body is made of Cells!
Drink that in for a moment. Each cell needs to be continually hydrated to be able to gain and produce energy, and to also secrete waste. Each system in the body is made up of different types of cells making up different types of tissues which comprise different organs that perform different functions. Some organs clean our blood, some move the blood. Some tissues transfer information, some organs interpret information. Some organs move food while other organs and tissues supply enzymes and acids necessary for the digestion of it. Not one organ works on its own and not one organ is without cells. If each cell in the tissues of each organ are hydrated and able to gain and produce energy and able to discard waste, each organ will be able to function in synergy with other organs. Almost~
If water is provided, what else is needed? Well, where do cells get energy? Just as we get energy from the food we eat and the air we breath, cells trap energy from the molecules within the food we eat and the air we breath. Amino acids. Sugar. Fatty acids. Oxygen. What the body can't make on its own we need to find in food. Enjoying clean protein, natural, unrefined sugar, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and clean water enables your cells to breathe! When you provide those delicious ingredients to your cells, homeostasis is not only achievable but likely.
Geez~ That sounds like a lot of work! While you digest all of the boring science of cellular respiration, make a delicious meal with real, nutritious food. Drink a glass of cool, crisp water. Maybe grab some vitamin rich fruits to support the nutrients you make. And, because germs love to attack our cells, the very ones we are trying to hydrate and support and protect, remember to wash your hands. (Hydration and nutrition isn't all that hard after all~)
Anna~
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Is Your Morning a Good Place to Start?
We all have a wake-up routine. Some hit the alarm and optimistically hop in the shower. Some take a few moments in bed, then move to the coffee machine for motivation. Others move from the mattress to meditation or prayer to begin their day with enlightenment and joy. There are also those that wake with yesterday's burdens and haul them around with sadness and disdain as they move from task to task. Then, there are those that treat each morning anew with no rigid pattern or playbook, embracing whatever the day has to offer. No matter your routine, let's all take a look to see what is working and what isn't~
Sleep. The morning, whether we realize it or not, should begin with sleep. Typical adults hit the sheets between 10 and 11 pm and wake between 5 and 6 am. Sleep starts when you close your eyes and deepens over the hours of slumber. Relaxation turns to light sleep, then deep sleep, then REM sleep with stages of transition between. If sleep is interrupted (children, stress, sadness, aches, pains) or inhibited (alcohol or caffeine, light or noise) then deep sleep and REM cannot be reached leaving your body sleep deprived and tired. If your alarm clock has to sound several times to kick you out of bed your 'sleep' may not be working.
Water. The average male should consume nearly 3 liters of water daily; women should exceed 2 liters. Too little water causes a myriad of problems, and, most times, these problems aren't consciously associated with dehydration. Obvious dehydration symptoms are headaches, dry, cracked lips, and limp skin. Sleepiness, moodiness, and fogginess are also direct symptoms of dehydration. More complex symptoms include thickened blood resulting in higher blood pressure, sluggish digestion (constipation, lack of hunger, cramps), muscle soreness and stress. We treat symptoms individually with corresponding medications or applications when most can be remedied with water. Instead of applying lotion to your skin, caffeine to your catatonic, and Motrin to your muscles, start your morning with water and continue the trend all day long. Tomorrow you may notice your 'morning' working better.
Nutrition. A doughnut, no matter how you slice it, is not nutritious. So many breakfast foods are sugar slathered and seductive, but you, with brains in your head, know that though the body runs on 'sugar', it can not be nourished by it. Bread, bagels, doughnuts, muffins, pastries, rolls, scones, potatoes, pancakes and waffles, syrup included, are all recognized by the body as sugar. Refined, simple, straight to the bloodstream sugar. What else is there? Eggs. Vegetables. Fruit. Whole grains. Dairy. That doesn't mean you should grab a V8 and a Danimals yogurt, for many 'healthy' concoctions are loaded with added sugar, added salt and added artificial ingredients. It does mean vegetable juice and minimally processed dairy foods, whole fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, and protein are better choices than doughnuts. Nourish your body with nutrition and it will work and sleep and think well!
Too many changes? Can't give up the doughnut? Don't have any more hours to dedicate to sleep? Start with drinking water. Pour a pitcher equalling a liter of water and leave it on your counter or desk. Make sure your glass is always half full until it is gone! (Then repeat!) When hunger comes, choose real, delicious, whole foods. Don't be afraid to give your vitamins their vitamins. And, before you go to sleep, wash your hands of all the mistakes and regrets so that your morning is good place to start!
Anna~
Sleep. The morning, whether we realize it or not, should begin with sleep. Typical adults hit the sheets between 10 and 11 pm and wake between 5 and 6 am. Sleep starts when you close your eyes and deepens over the hours of slumber. Relaxation turns to light sleep, then deep sleep, then REM sleep with stages of transition between. If sleep is interrupted (children, stress, sadness, aches, pains) or inhibited (alcohol or caffeine, light or noise) then deep sleep and REM cannot be reached leaving your body sleep deprived and tired. If your alarm clock has to sound several times to kick you out of bed your 'sleep' may not be working.
Water. The average male should consume nearly 3 liters of water daily; women should exceed 2 liters. Too little water causes a myriad of problems, and, most times, these problems aren't consciously associated with dehydration. Obvious dehydration symptoms are headaches, dry, cracked lips, and limp skin. Sleepiness, moodiness, and fogginess are also direct symptoms of dehydration. More complex symptoms include thickened blood resulting in higher blood pressure, sluggish digestion (constipation, lack of hunger, cramps), muscle soreness and stress. We treat symptoms individually with corresponding medications or applications when most can be remedied with water. Instead of applying lotion to your skin, caffeine to your catatonic, and Motrin to your muscles, start your morning with water and continue the trend all day long. Tomorrow you may notice your 'morning' working better.
Nutrition. A doughnut, no matter how you slice it, is not nutritious. So many breakfast foods are sugar slathered and seductive, but you, with brains in your head, know that though the body runs on 'sugar', it can not be nourished by it. Bread, bagels, doughnuts, muffins, pastries, rolls, scones, potatoes, pancakes and waffles, syrup included, are all recognized by the body as sugar. Refined, simple, straight to the bloodstream sugar. What else is there? Eggs. Vegetables. Fruit. Whole grains. Dairy. That doesn't mean you should grab a V8 and a Danimals yogurt, for many 'healthy' concoctions are loaded with added sugar, added salt and added artificial ingredients. It does mean vegetable juice and minimally processed dairy foods, whole fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, and protein are better choices than doughnuts. Nourish your body with nutrition and it will work and sleep and think well!
Too many changes? Can't give up the doughnut? Don't have any more hours to dedicate to sleep? Start with drinking water. Pour a pitcher equalling a liter of water and leave it on your counter or desk. Make sure your glass is always half full until it is gone! (Then repeat!) When hunger comes, choose real, delicious, whole foods. Don't be afraid to give your vitamins their vitamins. And, before you go to sleep, wash your hands of all the mistakes and regrets so that your morning is good place to start!
Anna~
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Make a No-Work Weekend!
What do we do on weekends? Even the best looking weekend can be overrun with errands and loose ends created by the work week. Between a 'night out' on Friday and church Sunday morning, schedules commonly have housework, yard work, paperwork, homework and grocery shopping penciled in then crossed off to the tune of exhaustion. What happened to the 'no-work' weekend? Is there a way to take back your time?
It all begins with a plan. Write out all of your daily chores and divide them among the masses to get them done daily. If you are the only body in the house you may want to simplify the things you need to get done by eliminating the obstacles in your life that make you crazy. This might include buying paper plates to reduce dishes, finding a good laundry service or hiring a house keeper once a month for bathrooms and dusting. If you are a family of 4, divide the responsibilities as evenly as you feel fair. Everyone wears clothes, uses dishes, and sits on the throne; those chores might be where to share. Just as we need to write down the foods we eat in order to fully understand what is going into our bodies, so do we need to write down our responsibilities to fully appreciate where we spend our time.
It all begins with a plan. Write out all of your daily chores and divide them among the masses to get them done daily. If you are the only body in the house you may want to simplify the things you need to get done by eliminating the obstacles in your life that make you crazy. This might include buying paper plates to reduce dishes, finding a good laundry service or hiring a house keeper once a month for bathrooms and dusting. If you are a family of 4, divide the responsibilities as evenly as you feel fair. Everyone wears clothes, uses dishes, and sits on the throne; those chores might be where to share. Just as we need to write down the foods we eat in order to fully understand what is going into our bodies, so do we need to write down our responsibilities to fully appreciate where we spend our time.
Chores that need to be done less often might be better accomplished if they are penciled in. Prioritize. Categorize your 'to-do's' in piles of want, need, and must. From there, make appointments to get'er done!
What do we do with all of the free time? Again, make a plan. Look at a local area calendar to find concerts, events, wineries, runs, or fairs that you "wish you had time to attend!" You've made the time! You've gotten your house in order! Now go and enjoy all of those fantasies and festivals that you have been daydreaming about. Time off should be time well spent! Give yourself some time free of work and spend it on you!
Before you go, fuel up with real, naturally occurring food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. (Especially in the port-a-potty at that fair you'll soon be attending~ ) You deserve the nourishment! Enjoy~
Anna~
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