Here are a few new recipes I thought sounded amazing!!
Maple-Crusted Salmon & MIxed Greens
1 1/2 pounds fresh salmon filets
extra virgin olive oil
butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
6 cups baby lettuces, or mixed greens such as watercress or mache
1 red pepper seeded, cut into julienne and sauteed in olive oil
1 pound brown mushrooms, washed. dried very well, sliced and sauteed in butter and olive oil
3/4 cup healthy salad dressing
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush sides and bottom of salmon with olive oil and place on non-stick baking sheet. Brush top of the salmon with maple syrup and sprinkle with salt an pepper. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Place under broiler for another 2 minutes until just slightly browned. Meanwhile, mix greens with dressing and divide between four plates. Make a mound of red peppers and mushrooms on each plate. PLace a portion of salmon on each mound of greens, and pour pan juices over. Serve immediately.
Tuna Tahini Salad
2 large cans water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups tahini sauce
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
melted butter and extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
cilantro sprigs for garnish
toasted, sprouted, or sourdough bread or sprouted crackers
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the onions on an oiled cookie sheet, brush with mixture of butter and oil, and bake 375 until crispy. Mix tuna with cayenne pepper and 1 cup tahini sauce. Mound tuna on a plate. Scatter onions and pine nuts on top. Garnish with cilantro and serve with sprouted whole grain crackers and remaining tahini.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Kefir
If you are serious about boosting your immunity and increasing your daily energy, then adding traditionally fermented foods to your diet is a must.
Long ago, food preservation was accomplished through lacto-fermentation, a process that adds a host of beneficial micro-organisms to food. This makes them easier to digest , increasing the healthy flora in our intestinal tracts.
Because fermentation is an inconsistent process, commercial food processors developed techniques like pasteurization -- a method that literally destroys dozens of precious enzymes -- to help standardize more consistent yields.
Sadly, I believe that modern culture has sacrificed many of the advantages of traditionally fermented healthy foods for faster and cheaper methods of mass production. In my opinion, our immunity and digestive health have been overlooked. I believe that it's time to return to the Kefir, which means 'feel good" in Turkish, is an ancient cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that help balance your "inner ecosystem" to maintain optimal health and strengthen immunity.
Kefir's tart and refreshing flavor is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, and it contains beneficial yeast as well as the friendly 'probiotic' bacteria found in yogurt. When used regularly, the naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in Kefir combine symbiotically to help balance your intestinal flora and boost your immunity.
Among its many beneficial powers, Kefir:
• Provides supplemental nourishment for pregnant and nursing women*
• Contributes to your healthy immune system
• Promotes a relaxing effect on the nervous system and benefit many who seek a restful night's sleep
• Helps support your normal intestinal tract function, promote bowel movements and your healthy digestive system -- and is beneficial after the use of antibiotics to restore balance to the digestive tract
• Curbs unhealthy food cravings by making your body more nourished and balanced-promoting foods of our past.
The exceptional nutritional content of Kefir offers a wealth of healthy benefits to people in every type of condition. More than just beneficial bacteria, Kefir contains minerals and essential amino acids that help your body with its natural healing powers and maintenance functions.
The complete proteins in Kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily utilized by the body.
Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in Kefir, is well-known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. Because it also offers loads of calcium and magnesium -- both of which are critical for a healthy nervous system -- Kefir in the diet can have a particularly calming effect on the nerves.
Rich in vitamin B12, B1, and vitamin K, Kefir is an excellent source of biotin, a B vitamin which aids the body's absorption of other B vitamins, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, and B12. The many advantages of maintaining adequate B vitamin intake range from regulation of the normal function of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping promote healthy looking skin, boosting energy and promoting longevity. Kefir's ample supply of phosphorus -- the second most abundant mineral in our bodies -- helps utilize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for cell growth, maintenance and energy.
I use kefir every morning in my morning shake. Here is my recipe:
(makes 4 servings)
3 1/2 cups kefir
1/2 cup orange juice
1 banana
1 cup frozen berries
Mix in blender and enjoy
Long ago, food preservation was accomplished through lacto-fermentation, a process that adds a host of beneficial micro-organisms to food. This makes them easier to digest , increasing the healthy flora in our intestinal tracts.
Because fermentation is an inconsistent process, commercial food processors developed techniques like pasteurization -- a method that literally destroys dozens of precious enzymes -- to help standardize more consistent yields.
Sadly, I believe that modern culture has sacrificed many of the advantages of traditionally fermented healthy foods for faster and cheaper methods of mass production. In my opinion, our immunity and digestive health have been overlooked. I believe that it's time to return to the Kefir, which means 'feel good" in Turkish, is an ancient cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that help balance your "inner ecosystem" to maintain optimal health and strengthen immunity.
Kefir's tart and refreshing flavor is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, and it contains beneficial yeast as well as the friendly 'probiotic' bacteria found in yogurt. When used regularly, the naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in Kefir combine symbiotically to help balance your intestinal flora and boost your immunity.
Among its many beneficial powers, Kefir:
• Provides supplemental nourishment for pregnant and nursing women*
• Contributes to your healthy immune system
• Promotes a relaxing effect on the nervous system and benefit many who seek a restful night's sleep
• Helps support your normal intestinal tract function, promote bowel movements and your healthy digestive system -- and is beneficial after the use of antibiotics to restore balance to the digestive tract
• Curbs unhealthy food cravings by making your body more nourished and balanced-promoting foods of our past.
The exceptional nutritional content of Kefir offers a wealth of healthy benefits to people in every type of condition. More than just beneficial bacteria, Kefir contains minerals and essential amino acids that help your body with its natural healing powers and maintenance functions.
The complete proteins in Kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily utilized by the body.
Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in Kefir, is well-known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. Because it also offers loads of calcium and magnesium -- both of which are critical for a healthy nervous system -- Kefir in the diet can have a particularly calming effect on the nerves.
Rich in vitamin B12, B1, and vitamin K, Kefir is an excellent source of biotin, a B vitamin which aids the body's absorption of other B vitamins, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, and B12. The many advantages of maintaining adequate B vitamin intake range from regulation of the normal function of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping promote healthy looking skin, boosting energy and promoting longevity. Kefir's ample supply of phosphorus -- the second most abundant mineral in our bodies -- helps utilize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for cell growth, maintenance and energy.
I use kefir every morning in my morning shake. Here is my recipe:
(makes 4 servings)
3 1/2 cups kefir
1/2 cup orange juice
1 banana
1 cup frozen berries
Mix in blender and enjoy
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Running Myths
I have been training for the Music City Marathon, through this experience I keep hearing things that I know are only half true or not true at all.
These simple little things or gestures that are said in passing are why we have so much confusion and doubt in the whole food nutrition world.
Some thing like this:
"carb up before you run"
"eat a banana so you will not cramp"
"make sure you get your protein 30 minutes after your run"
"if you want to lose weight you need to run"
"a side stitch needs to be held by your hand when you are running"
These are just a few of the things that I have heard from inexperienced runners as well as very experienced runners. Some of them are simply not true, I will use whole food nutrition to de-bunk these phrases that are so over used.
Having carbs before a race isn't a bad idea unless you are trying to lose weight. If you are trying to lose weight then you probably have stored carbs and proteins that are sitting in your bodies fat. These stores will be used if you run on an empty stomach, granted you will need to be hydrated and this is only for short runs of 5 miles and under. If you are at your perfect weight you can still get by with running on an empty stomach but you will feel short of breath and a little light headed. If you do "carb up" before a run then make sure its a digestible whole carb, sprouted grains and seeds are perfect. They are perfect because your body will be able to break them down and send them to the proper cells.
Eating a banana is great for you but may have little to do with cramping if this where true than you could eat a banana for bowel cramping or for PMS. Potassium is good for you and great for the muscles but once again if your body is in starvation mode do to the lack of nutrition that you are giving it then the banana doesn't stand a chance of actually making it to the cramp.
Running is a great way to lose weight but not the only way to do so. You may already know that you need to get your heart rate up and keep it up for as long as you can. This is a great way to lose weight and is easier on the joints, you can achieve this by doing jump work like:
-Jump rope
- Jump lunges
- Jump squats
- Stair work
- Circuit training
It can be down and as long as you are able to work hard, anything is possible.
Side stitches are common with any cardio intensive workout but they are not necessarily a muscle cramp as much as they are an expansion of the lungs. So much so that they burn or over stretch causing the pain that needs to be relaxed out through slow deep breathes.
I hope this helps you all on your quest of running, if you are training for a marathon then good luck! I know I am going to need too.
These simple little things or gestures that are said in passing are why we have so much confusion and doubt in the whole food nutrition world.
Some thing like this:
"carb up before you run"
"eat a banana so you will not cramp"
"make sure you get your protein 30 minutes after your run"
"if you want to lose weight you need to run"
"a side stitch needs to be held by your hand when you are running"
These are just a few of the things that I have heard from inexperienced runners as well as very experienced runners. Some of them are simply not true, I will use whole food nutrition to de-bunk these phrases that are so over used.
Having carbs before a race isn't a bad idea unless you are trying to lose weight. If you are trying to lose weight then you probably have stored carbs and proteins that are sitting in your bodies fat. These stores will be used if you run on an empty stomach, granted you will need to be hydrated and this is only for short runs of 5 miles and under. If you are at your perfect weight you can still get by with running on an empty stomach but you will feel short of breath and a little light headed. If you do "carb up" before a run then make sure its a digestible whole carb, sprouted grains and seeds are perfect. They are perfect because your body will be able to break them down and send them to the proper cells.
Eating a banana is great for you but may have little to do with cramping if this where true than you could eat a banana for bowel cramping or for PMS. Potassium is good for you and great for the muscles but once again if your body is in starvation mode do to the lack of nutrition that you are giving it then the banana doesn't stand a chance of actually making it to the cramp.
Running is a great way to lose weight but not the only way to do so. You may already know that you need to get your heart rate up and keep it up for as long as you can. This is a great way to lose weight and is easier on the joints, you can achieve this by doing jump work like:
-Jump rope
- Jump lunges
- Jump squats
- Stair work
- Circuit training
It can be down and as long as you are able to work hard, anything is possible.
Side stitches are common with any cardio intensive workout but they are not necessarily a muscle cramp as much as they are an expansion of the lungs. So much so that they burn or over stretch causing the pain that needs to be relaxed out through slow deep breathes.
I hope this helps you all on your quest of running, if you are training for a marathon then good luck! I know I am going to need too.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
White Flour: Not That Healthy
Ever wondered how white flour is made?
Commercial wheat production is a study in pesticide application. Not only are the starting seeds treated with fungicide, the resulting wheat is sprayed with hormones and pesticides.
Then once harvested, the wheat grain is stored in bins which have been coated with insecticides. If any bugs are still hanging around at that point, they then fumigate the grain.
It is from this pesticide soaked grain that commercial flour is made.
Once the milling process starts, more damage is inflicted.
A wheat grain kernel is composed of three layers:
the bran
the germ
the endosperm
The bran is the outside layer where most of the fiber exists. The germ is the inside layer where many nutrients and essential fatty acids are found. The endosperm is the starchy middle layer.
The natural nutrient levels associated with whole grains exists only when these three layers are eaten together. (The term “whole grain” denotes the grain before it has been milled into flour.)
Old time stone mills ground the flour slowly, and the resulting flour had all three layers mixed in. (This result is called “100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat flour”).
But in mass production flour mills, stone grinding isn’t fast enough, so high speed, high temperature steel roller mills are used.
These high speed mills eject the bran and germ, so that the resulting flour is made up of mostly the starchy endosperm layer.
Much of the rejected bran and germ "waste product"--the most nutritious part of the grain--is sold as "byproducts" for animals.
The resulting white flour contains just a fraction of the nutrients of the original grain, with the heat of the steel rollers also playing a role in the nutrient destruction.
Chlorine and Alloxan
Not content with applying pesticides and ditching most of the nutrients, the flour manufacturers then subject the starchy flour to a chlorine gas bath.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies chlorine gas as a flour-bleaching, aging and oxidizing agent that is a powerful irritant, dangerous to inhale, and lethal.
The flour manufacturers use a form of chlorine gas to bleach and artificially "age" flour. The goal, of course, is a clean, white product. The chlorine gas reacts with the flour, oxidizing, whitening it and reducing the gluten.
But it also converts an dough additive called xanthine into a toxic substance called alloxan. The alloxan is an unintended byproduct.
So what is alloxan? Alloxan is a toxin which destroys pancreatic islet cells, resulting in diabetes. In fact, Alloxin is specifically used in research labs to induce diabetes in rats and mice for study purposes.
After the chlorine bath, we get nice, white flour completely devoid of any natural vitamins. And since all the natural vitamins have been destroyed, the bleached flour is mixed with synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements to "enrich" it.
These synthetic vitamins are made from petroleum, elemental ores, bacteria, fungi, and ferrous iron, which is created from sulfate refined out of high sulfur crude oil.
Bleached White Flour Was Supposed to Be Outlawed
Now here’s the real kicker. In 1906, the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment sent out 24 surveys to flour mill executives and asked them about their thoughts on the flour bleaching process. Eighteen of those millers wrote back and said that flour bleaching was unnecessary and harmful to those eating the flour and was deceitful to the public buying the flour.
In 1910, bleach white flour was declared unfit as human food by the Federal Western District Court of Missouri. Legal wrangling ensued and the case wasn’t settled until 1919. But according to H.W. Wiley, first chief of the Food and Drug Administration, the enforcement of this law was "halted through the political influence of the flour millers" and "no notice of violations has since been made by the FDA." Mr. Wiley’s book "The History of a Crime Against the Pure Food Law" discusses this case.
Reference here.
www.healthy-eating-politics.com
White flour does provide potassium and phosphorus, but little else in the way of nutrition. It is the ultimate refined food.
Commercial wheat production is a study in pesticide application. Not only are the starting seeds treated with fungicide, the resulting wheat is sprayed with hormones and pesticides.
Then once harvested, the wheat grain is stored in bins which have been coated with insecticides. If any bugs are still hanging around at that point, they then fumigate the grain.
It is from this pesticide soaked grain that commercial flour is made.
Once the milling process starts, more damage is inflicted.
A wheat grain kernel is composed of three layers:
the bran
the germ
the endosperm
The bran is the outside layer where most of the fiber exists. The germ is the inside layer where many nutrients and essential fatty acids are found. The endosperm is the starchy middle layer.
The natural nutrient levels associated with whole grains exists only when these three layers are eaten together. (The term “whole grain” denotes the grain before it has been milled into flour.)
Old time stone mills ground the flour slowly, and the resulting flour had all three layers mixed in. (This result is called “100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat flour”).
But in mass production flour mills, stone grinding isn’t fast enough, so high speed, high temperature steel roller mills are used.
These high speed mills eject the bran and germ, so that the resulting flour is made up of mostly the starchy endosperm layer.
Much of the rejected bran and germ "waste product"--the most nutritious part of the grain--is sold as "byproducts" for animals.
The resulting white flour contains just a fraction of the nutrients of the original grain, with the heat of the steel rollers also playing a role in the nutrient destruction.
Chlorine and Alloxan
Not content with applying pesticides and ditching most of the nutrients, the flour manufacturers then subject the starchy flour to a chlorine gas bath.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies chlorine gas as a flour-bleaching, aging and oxidizing agent that is a powerful irritant, dangerous to inhale, and lethal.
The flour manufacturers use a form of chlorine gas to bleach and artificially "age" flour. The goal, of course, is a clean, white product. The chlorine gas reacts with the flour, oxidizing, whitening it and reducing the gluten.
But it also converts an dough additive called xanthine into a toxic substance called alloxan. The alloxan is an unintended byproduct.
So what is alloxan? Alloxan is a toxin which destroys pancreatic islet cells, resulting in diabetes. In fact, Alloxin is specifically used in research labs to induce diabetes in rats and mice for study purposes.
After the chlorine bath, we get nice, white flour completely devoid of any natural vitamins. And since all the natural vitamins have been destroyed, the bleached flour is mixed with synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements to "enrich" it.
These synthetic vitamins are made from petroleum, elemental ores, bacteria, fungi, and ferrous iron, which is created from sulfate refined out of high sulfur crude oil.
Bleached White Flour Was Supposed to Be Outlawed
Now here’s the real kicker. In 1906, the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment sent out 24 surveys to flour mill executives and asked them about their thoughts on the flour bleaching process. Eighteen of those millers wrote back and said that flour bleaching was unnecessary and harmful to those eating the flour and was deceitful to the public buying the flour.
In 1910, bleach white flour was declared unfit as human food by the Federal Western District Court of Missouri. Legal wrangling ensued and the case wasn’t settled until 1919. But according to H.W. Wiley, first chief of the Food and Drug Administration, the enforcement of this law was "halted through the political influence of the flour millers" and "no notice of violations has since been made by the FDA." Mr. Wiley’s book "The History of a Crime Against the Pure Food Law" discusses this case.
Reference here.
www.healthy-eating-politics.com
White flour does provide potassium and phosphorus, but little else in the way of nutrition. It is the ultimate refined food.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Inappropriate Drug Prescriptions
From Mercola.com
Drugs designed for treating the most severe mental illnesses are often prescribed for use in conditions where their benefit has not been established, and often in inappropriate doses, a recent study suggests.
Prescription drugs that might cost as much as $20 to $25 a day are being widely used to treat problems for which they are not FDA-approved. Some of those problems could have been addressed with generic medications costing $1 a day, with better results and less risk of serious side effects.
This is a reflection of the widespread use of medications for "off-label" uses that have not been carefully considered or approved by the FDA, according to the study, some of which are raising medical costs and reducing the effectiveness of health care.
Sources:
Eurekalert March 4, 2009
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry October 2008;69(10):1540-7
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Antipsychotic medications are some of the most expensive and side-effect-riddled drugs on the market. And while they’re only approved to treat severe forms of mental illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, this recent study found that the vast majority of people receiving these powerful drugs did not have either one of those disorders.
In fact, out of the 830 Oregon Medicaid patients given the drugs, most were suffering from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and even insomnia. These are all issues that can be handled using safe, non-drug methods, yet these people were instead given expensive and dangerous antipsychotic drugs.
Imagine visiting your doctor because you have anxiety or insomnia, then being prescribed a drug that can cause potentially even worse conditions, such as:
• Stroke and heart arrhythmias
• Moderate to severe weight gain
• Diabetes
This is exactly what happens far too often with these drugs.
Drugs designed for treating the most severe mental illnesses are often prescribed for use in conditions where their benefit has not been established, and often in inappropriate doses, a recent study suggests.
Prescription drugs that might cost as much as $20 to $25 a day are being widely used to treat problems for which they are not FDA-approved. Some of those problems could have been addressed with generic medications costing $1 a day, with better results and less risk of serious side effects.
This is a reflection of the widespread use of medications for "off-label" uses that have not been carefully considered or approved by the FDA, according to the study, some of which are raising medical costs and reducing the effectiveness of health care.
Sources:
Eurekalert March 4, 2009
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry October 2008;69(10):1540-7
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Antipsychotic medications are some of the most expensive and side-effect-riddled drugs on the market. And while they’re only approved to treat severe forms of mental illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, this recent study found that the vast majority of people receiving these powerful drugs did not have either one of those disorders.
In fact, out of the 830 Oregon Medicaid patients given the drugs, most were suffering from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and even insomnia. These are all issues that can be handled using safe, non-drug methods, yet these people were instead given expensive and dangerous antipsychotic drugs.
Imagine visiting your doctor because you have anxiety or insomnia, then being prescribed a drug that can cause potentially even worse conditions, such as:
• Stroke and heart arrhythmias
• Moderate to severe weight gain
• Diabetes
This is exactly what happens far too often with these drugs.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Foods For Weight Loss Part 6
I hope you are enjoying this series from Tim at
www.ettlt.com
It is a great resource and one of the best was to lose weight, net to a physical exercise regiment.
Part 6 is really about putting it all together. The first thing to note is that all of the things mentioned in the series (parts 1-5) are things to do for anyone. They are excellent food choices and will help to maintain a healthy body. Sure, they are especially for those who are trying to lose weight and therefore they must be stricter on some points. On the other hand, those who do not need to lose weight but want to maintain a healthy body should be doing the same things. Also if you are trying to gain weight, you would do the same things just with an altered eating pattern and amount.
So many people look to one thing… that is, they look to one pill, one area of nutrition, one doctor, and think they can have a miracle cure or weightloss. While results may vary they are not the kind of results that satisfy. Living healthy and being healthy is a lifestyle. It is the way you eat, the foods you eat, the exercise you get, the faith you have, the thoughts you think, and the relationships that you foster.
It takes time to put changes in place, but you can do it one step at a time. I know how overwhelming it can be to change so many things in your eating habits. Just start somewhere and each day or week or month add something new. So maybe you start increasing the amount of vegetables that you eat and the quality (local and/or organic)… and then you change where you buy your dairy from… and then what grains you buy and how you prepare them… and then where you buy your meat from… and then the products that you put on your skin… and then on and on… you grow.
Where To Find? Where to Find?
It can be frustrating when looking for many food items which you are not used to consuming. Especially since the typical grocery store has so many processed items in it. The internet can be a very valuable tool in connecting with other people who can provide high quality food. Also stores like Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats (which was bought by Whole Foods), and Trader Joes focus on Natural and Organic Foods. In addition, many other national grocers have small natural food sections and carry some organic produce. One of the best sources is to find a local farmers market and/or contact local farmers. Buying locally is good for the local economy and enables you to get fresher foods. (I am not against importing by any means either… it is nice to be able to get a wide variety of foods internationally as well).
So if you are looking for something like buckwheat flour, most likely you will not find it at a typical grocery store. You have a good chance of finding it freshly ground at a farmers market, and you most definitely will find it at a store like Whole Foods… which you hope it is not too old
I Don’t Know What To Do or Make With This Food!
What? Are you kidding me? The options are not that limited! There are a gazillion things you can do with all of the food items mentioned in this series. You should be creative and test all sorts of things. Something I frequently do is take random recipes and substitute almost all the ingredients in them for better (or the same but higher quality) ingredients and create something new but similar.
So one day you should make:
Breakfast:
Buckwheat pancakes (you can mix buckwheat flour with spelt or whole wheat)
Blueberries
Real Maple Syrup or Honey
Lunch:
Mexican Quinoa
Fruit
Dinner:
Wild Caught Alaskan (or Pacific) Salmon
Green Beans (fresh)
Faux potatos (cauliflower mashed potatos)
Salad (Use all different types of lettuces - romaine, green leaf, red leaf, arugola, spinach, endive, etc)
What Now?
Well, I hope that this series has helped you get an idea of the foods that you can learn about and change in your diet especially if you are looking to lose weight, but also for healthy living in general. I also hope that these foods have given you ideas for incorporating them together and creating simple dishes and meals that you can be thankful for. Fast food is out, slow food is in. Dig it.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me: tim (at) ettlt.com.
To view the other blogs Food For Weight Loss Part 1-5 go to
www.ettlt.com
www.ettlt.com
It is a great resource and one of the best was to lose weight, net to a physical exercise regiment.
Part 6 is really about putting it all together. The first thing to note is that all of the things mentioned in the series (parts 1-5) are things to do for anyone. They are excellent food choices and will help to maintain a healthy body. Sure, they are especially for those who are trying to lose weight and therefore they must be stricter on some points. On the other hand, those who do not need to lose weight but want to maintain a healthy body should be doing the same things. Also if you are trying to gain weight, you would do the same things just with an altered eating pattern and amount.
So many people look to one thing… that is, they look to one pill, one area of nutrition, one doctor, and think they can have a miracle cure or weightloss. While results may vary they are not the kind of results that satisfy. Living healthy and being healthy is a lifestyle. It is the way you eat, the foods you eat, the exercise you get, the faith you have, the thoughts you think, and the relationships that you foster.
It takes time to put changes in place, but you can do it one step at a time. I know how overwhelming it can be to change so many things in your eating habits. Just start somewhere and each day or week or month add something new. So maybe you start increasing the amount of vegetables that you eat and the quality (local and/or organic)… and then you change where you buy your dairy from… and then what grains you buy and how you prepare them… and then where you buy your meat from… and then the products that you put on your skin… and then on and on… you grow.
Where To Find? Where to Find?
It can be frustrating when looking for many food items which you are not used to consuming. Especially since the typical grocery store has so many processed items in it. The internet can be a very valuable tool in connecting with other people who can provide high quality food. Also stores like Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats (which was bought by Whole Foods), and Trader Joes focus on Natural and Organic Foods. In addition, many other national grocers have small natural food sections and carry some organic produce. One of the best sources is to find a local farmers market and/or contact local farmers. Buying locally is good for the local economy and enables you to get fresher foods. (I am not against importing by any means either… it is nice to be able to get a wide variety of foods internationally as well).
So if you are looking for something like buckwheat flour, most likely you will not find it at a typical grocery store. You have a good chance of finding it freshly ground at a farmers market, and you most definitely will find it at a store like Whole Foods… which you hope it is not too old
I Don’t Know What To Do or Make With This Food!
What? Are you kidding me? The options are not that limited! There are a gazillion things you can do with all of the food items mentioned in this series. You should be creative and test all sorts of things. Something I frequently do is take random recipes and substitute almost all the ingredients in them for better (or the same but higher quality) ingredients and create something new but similar.
So one day you should make:
Breakfast:
Buckwheat pancakes (you can mix buckwheat flour with spelt or whole wheat)
Blueberries
Real Maple Syrup or Honey
Lunch:
Mexican Quinoa
Fruit
Dinner:
Wild Caught Alaskan (or Pacific) Salmon
Green Beans (fresh)
Faux potatos (cauliflower mashed potatos)
Salad (Use all different types of lettuces - romaine, green leaf, red leaf, arugola, spinach, endive, etc)
What Now?
Well, I hope that this series has helped you get an idea of the foods that you can learn about and change in your diet especially if you are looking to lose weight, but also for healthy living in general. I also hope that these foods have given you ideas for incorporating them together and creating simple dishes and meals that you can be thankful for. Fast food is out, slow food is in. Dig it.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me: tim (at) ettlt.com.
To view the other blogs Food For Weight Loss Part 1-5 go to
www.ettlt.com
Friday, March 20, 2009
Achieving Results
It has been said that numbers talk and that the scale is definitive as far as health is concerned. But of course I disagree, because I see so much more with my work in the fitness field. Often I have people get great results but with that comes the 10% that does not change at all. These are the people I want to address, they are discouraged and do not have a clear picture of the basics. Whether they can't hear what I am saying or their minds are in a different place while they go through the motions of exercising.
To them and any one thinking about getting healthy please hear me know, you have to dedicate your whole body to a lifestyle change, or its just a good idea.
You must start in a place where you understand that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by a matchless Creator. From there you have to create a clean heart and a clear mind with a willingness to be changed. Not for your own sake or mine but for the Glory Of God.
My mission is not to make everybody fit but to make their whole body fit so they can glorify God with their bodies. Not for me but as a testimony of Christ. If this is to much for you then lets simplify, you cannot achieve full whole body health unless you sacrifice your whole body, as unto the Lord.
I know some of you may not be believers in the one True God, and thats ok. I want you to know that I care about you too, and you know Gods loves you (if not you do now!) This knowledge will define your results and give you clarity of mind knowing that its not by power or by might but by the grace of God that you have found me and that you can pursue this transformation.
Step one:
Understanding Gods plan for your life, and (or) that He loves you unconditionally.
Step two:
Being willing to change by working hard, both spiritually and physically.
Step three:
Give up things that will hinder you from truly relying on Christ and any other physical crutch.
Step four:
Knowing that you are part of the problem, understanding you can't do it alone and knowing that you CAN do it!
Step five:
Giving Him the glory as you are stripped down then built back up spiritually, mentally and physically.
These are measures of success that you will need to get to whole health and then sustain it. Come to me willing and ready for the beginning of the rest of your life. As God has enabled me so I will enable you!
To them and any one thinking about getting healthy please hear me know, you have to dedicate your whole body to a lifestyle change, or its just a good idea.
You must start in a place where you understand that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by a matchless Creator. From there you have to create a clean heart and a clear mind with a willingness to be changed. Not for your own sake or mine but for the Glory Of God.
My mission is not to make everybody fit but to make their whole body fit so they can glorify God with their bodies. Not for me but as a testimony of Christ. If this is to much for you then lets simplify, you cannot achieve full whole body health unless you sacrifice your whole body, as unto the Lord.
I know some of you may not be believers in the one True God, and thats ok. I want you to know that I care about you too, and you know Gods loves you (if not you do now!) This knowledge will define your results and give you clarity of mind knowing that its not by power or by might but by the grace of God that you have found me and that you can pursue this transformation.
Step one:
Understanding Gods plan for your life, and (or) that He loves you unconditionally.
Step two:
Being willing to change by working hard, both spiritually and physically.
Step three:
Give up things that will hinder you from truly relying on Christ and any other physical crutch.
Step four:
Knowing that you are part of the problem, understanding you can't do it alone and knowing that you CAN do it!
Step five:
Giving Him the glory as you are stripped down then built back up spiritually, mentally and physically.
These are measures of success that you will need to get to whole health and then sustain it. Come to me willing and ready for the beginning of the rest of your life. As God has enabled me so I will enable you!
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