I am feeling pretty healthy these days. My niece asked me for details... next thing you know, I'd emailed her a long page-full! Here it is:
I am just amazed at what Americans think are good foods! I don't mean to complain; I just think there's been mass programming in the form of commercials (got milk?)... People come into the deli, order a processed meat sandwich on our "wheat" bread, and think they're being healthy. They might add on a high-fructose drink on top of that...
"Whole Wheat Bread" is kind of a joke, if you look at the labels. It almost always is primarily white flour (which really does come from "wheat", so it can actually say it's "wheat flour"). Some whole grain wheat flour might be added; the most crucial ingredient is the addition of caramel coloring, to give it that healthy, whole-grain, golden color.
Even if it was made with 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour, there is still the gluten to consider. Americans get gluten practically everywhere they go.
I do eat bread occasionally. Mostly on special occasions. Even white bread- I don't sweat it because I'm not eating it all the time. Guys can process more food in general, so it's not as big an issue for them. But for women who are not eating that big a quantity, I think it's important to make it count, nutritionally.
I think the healthiest, best wheat bread on the market is one commonly found at Trader Joe's (or health food stores): Sprouted Wheat Bread. Look at the label. If it says it's made out of mostly sprouted wheat, with a few other added ingredients, that's the one!
Meanwhile, I think it's a great idea to watch out for gluten. I make Tom organic oatmeal for breakfast almost every morning; it's the cheapest but healthiest breakfast I can get him. (Health food stores sell it for a good price.) For myself, I soak various grains for 24 hours (drain off the sprouting liquid and drink it- good enzymes). My favorite grains are buckwheat and millet, with barley on occasion. The morning before, I start soaking the next day's stuff: 1/4 c. grain of choice, plus 3 TBS. or so of Trader Joe's organic almonds, plus 1 tsp. or so flax seeds. (Whole flax seeds, not the rancid, pre-ground stuff that pretends it's health food...) I add Trader Joe's organic raisins (or other) in the morning, and it's a great way to start the day!
That whole breakfast ritual started because I wanted the healthiest breakfast for the best price. I wanted to avoid excess gluten, and so many brands of cereals are made of wheat. Plus organic cereal's not too common. Plus, ready-made cereals are expensive. So Tom's happy with his cooked oatmeal every morning. I, on the other hand, wanted to maximize my nutrition (I'm so hard-core, you know?!). So I was shooting for Raw. Raw foods are often mentioned in health circles, because it's true, raw foods are full of nutrients, and are the easiest to digest. With my breakfast, I'm eating grains low in gluten, and full of enzymes. I feel great!
Oh, if you were to check out the health food store, you also might notice another grain: Quinoa. Well, everyone's got their personal favorites. Quinoa was not one of mine! But you might like it... I just wouldn't recommend it. And a lot of people might not like buckwheat, because it will get slimey-ish during its overnight soak. Doesn't bother me though!
Whole grain corn meal, from the health food store (not the degerminated kind), is another whole grain choice. Great for polenta or corn bread, and super yummy!
About dairy. Awk! No likey. When I used to work at the health food store (27 years ago), my friend would tell me stories... My friend was really down on dairy. And I do think the "calcium" trip is all hype. Yes, there's plenty of calcium in milk. Do we absorb it? That is the question. If a form of calcium can't be readily absorbed, then those FDA people have to start assuming that we need "X" amount, because any less than that doesn't seem to give us enough calcium.
But what if we were to ingest calcium as found in broccoli, spinach, sesame seeds, beans, and other plant sources? And that calcium was in a much more digestible form? The MDR (minimum daily requirements) would tell us we weren't getting enough, but our bodies would think otherwise.
I take Vitamineral Green every morning; it might not seem cheap, but it's probably an economical way to get all those extra nutrients every day. My tendency towards anemia has been cured with that product, and I'm sure I'm getting plenty of calcium and other minerals as well, in a form I can actually digest. I rarely have dairy products, and am feeling perfectly healthy :)
As for Tom, he really didn't want to go for green... So I give him some Coconut Cream Concentrate in his oatmeal every morning. It's a super-yummy product from Tropical Traditions. Again, it might not seem all that cheap, but it is a concentrate, so a little goes a long way. Coconut's great for boosting the metabolism and keeping immunities high (unless you're talking junk food coconut oil, with its hydrogenation, additives, and other processing)...
Haha- And this is just our morning routine! But hey, if you start the day out right, your taste buds don't get corrupted too early in the day. Minimizing sugar intake's a good idea. It's hidden in so many foods, so if you want to avoid it, you find yourself making a lot of things from scratch. And that's a healthy thing right there.
As for meat... Interesting. Just read an article about how many parasites are in meat! The story with beef is: If you can afford to get the expensive, grass-fed beef, you'll be better off. Otherwise, cows are typically fed a grain diet, which they really weren't designed to digest. This sets them up for needing extra antibiotics, etc., and the acid-alkaline balance in their bodies is disrupted. The cow body then becomes a more ideal host for all those parasites, which can prosper more readily in such conditions. Euwww. One solution: Be sure such beef is thoroughly cooked. Another solution: Just buy the expensive, free-range, grass-eating beef. Third solution: Just eat a lot less beef...
Meanwhile, fish is becoming laden with mercury and other toxins, and both the fish and chicken might have the whole parasite thing... (cook that food well!).
We eat a lot of salads. And beans. And nuts, seeds... fruits, veggies. On special occasions, we eat whatever is there, if it's really really good. I think any movement in the right direction will yield positive results. You don't have to become a fanatic! If you can start with breakfast, eating healthy foods first thing, when you're good and hungry, you should find yourself having little appetite for less healthy foods.
Check this out: thefarmersgarden.com. A resource for Locavores!
