boost your immunity

I don't know about you, but I've been thinking about my family's immune systems lately.

Here are some ways to strengthen your immune system to fight of that nasty flu.

Increase your nutrient intake, especially the following:

Vitamin C

Zinc

All of the vitamin Bs

Chromium

Selenium

Vitamin E

Carotenoids

Try taking echinacea and shitake mushroom supplements

Take Sambucus. It's black elderberry juice and studies have shown it to have high antiviral properties and to be as effective as the antiviral medications.

Get plenty of rest.

Eliminate stress.

Drink a lot of water.

everything is going to change

On Monday I am changing my life. 

Okay, remember way back when I said I was going to do a cleanse? Well, for a lot of reasons, I haven't done it yet. 

Monday. I am going to do it Monday. And that will be the start to me getting back on the wagon with my eating.

I have been eating a lot of sugar and a lot of foods that I am sensitive to. And I feel awful.

But good news is what I got at the Doctor. I have a new Doc and what a physical I got! Three hours! And then I went in and sat with him for one hour while we went over all the results.

I am pretty low on Vit. D. I got an emulsion that I put in my mouth and it absorbs that way. He said D is often destroyed by stomach acid. And Colorado doesn't get enough of the right sun rays for us to get our D that way.

I am a little fat - who knew?

Other than that, I am healthy as a horse. Whatever that means.

I was expecting hormones to be off, but they were mostly ok. I'm just a tad manly, a little too much testosterone. Maybe that explains my beard. So if I take more fiber it will absorb the excess, he said.

I struggle with constant fatigue, though, so he took some more blood to search for the cause of that. 

And I was surprised to find that I have a pretty fast metabolism. When I just sit, I burn more than 1800 (first I put 18,000. If only!)  calories! Cool. I must be eating a lot, then.

So, since I'm terribly healthy, I want to feel good. That means eating what I know I'm supposed to eat and probably moving around a bit each day. So, Monday it's a go.

Good for Julie, by the way. Three cheers! You're doing great!

Best foods for weight loss

Some of these foods help because they have high fiber content and are satisfying.  Some because they increase the metabolism.  Others improve serotonin levels or decrease cravings.

1. Beans

High in protein and apparently eating the same calories from protein encourages more fat loss and less muscle loss compared to eating the same calories from carbs.

Also high in fiber which makes you feel full faster and longer.

2. Sweet potatoes

High fiber.  Eating an additional 14 grams of fiber per day can cause you to consume 10% less food.

3. Grapefruit

Not sure the mechanism, but people who eat 1/2 grapefruit before a meal lose more weight.

4. Sardines

Increases serotonin

5. Spinach

Increases serotonin

6. Cayenne pepper and other spicy foods

Boosts metabolism

7. Eggs

People who ate 2 eggs for breakfast lost 65% more weight even thought they consumed the same calories.  

8. Yogurt

Boost fat burning

9. Artichokes

Improves liver function and enhances weight loss.

10. Fresh Ginger

Boosts metabolism.

These facts came from Better Nutrition Magazine.

eating well in 09

At the end of the year I fell of the good eating wagon pretty hard.  I mostly ate what I wanted and have been exhausted and icky because of it.

For 09 I am going to stick with my food plan.  Restrict myself from my restrictions.  And I'm praying that I will lose that deprivation mentality.  I need to learn an attitude of appreciation for what I can eat, instead of feeling sorry for myself over the things I can't.

Also.  I plan to eat fruit or veggies every day.  Because right now, other than potatoes, I often can go days without veggies.  That's bad!

I also plan to exercise once per week.  I realize that is a low goal.  And there is some kind of quote about aiming low - like you aren't supposed to do it.  But many years I set sky high goals and am overwhelmed by them.  This year I decided to be realistic.  Exercising once per week is a whole lot more than I've been doing!

I also plan to post at least weekly on this blog.  

What are your health goals for this year?

fatty - that's me

Ok, I went shopping today and it was sad.  I had to get a size larger jeans.  I had to get a size larger bra.  Not in the good way - in the fat way.

I'm not up a lot on the scale.  About 8 pounds from where I'd like to be, but only 3 above my limit.

But something clearly has to be done.  I can't just slide by anymore at my age.  I have to actively combat that law of entropy.

So, I'm thinking that I will do the cleanse that I bought a couple of months ago.  It's just a 10 day thing, but it might help me feel better and get rid of my cravings.  I have been eating too much sugar and yeast. 

So, I'll do that and quit eating the sugar and yeast.

I also need to start walking every day, or at least 4 days a week, for 10 minutes.  The dog needs it, too.  Now that it's cooler, it should be easier to fit it into my schedule.  I am also going to find out if any local friends go to the rec center to work out.  If they do, maybe I can meet them there.  

So, how is it going with you?  I know Robin is getting ready to drop a few pounds. ;)

What about the rest of you?  Sugar?  Pop?  Exercise?

calcium

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted here.

I have lost enough weight to put me back in my acceptable range.  I definitely need to exercise, though.

The other day I was at the health store to buy calcium supplements.  The sales woman told me something I hadn't heard before.  Even though the recommended intake for women is 1000 to 1500 mg per day, she said it is potentially harmful to try to get all of that through supplements.  She recommended taking about 500 from supplements and getting the rest from food.  

Apparently your body is only about to absorb about 20% of the mineral from the supplement.  The rest has to be eliminated by the body.  This can possibly contribute to kidney stones and other problems. 

When you eat food, your body is able to absorb 100% of the mineral.

I guess that's what supplement means, isn't it?  I tend to use them as substitutes instead.  

So, here are some good dietary sources of calcium.  What are some of your favorites?  

---

Dairy Foods	Serving	calcium (mg)
Milk, whole, 2%, 1% skim	1 cup	300
Milk, evaporated	1/2 cup	367
Cheese, hard	50 gm	360 (average)*
Processed cheese spread	4 Tbsp	348
Cheese, processed slices	50 gm	276
Cottage cheese, 1 or 2%	2 cups	310
Cottage cheese, <0.1%	2 cups	156
Yogurt, plain	3/4 cup	290 (average)*
Yogurt, fruit bottom	3/4 cup	233 (average)*
Frozen yogurt, soft serve	1 cup	218
Ice cream	1 cup	194
*calcium content varies, check label
Beans and Bean Products	Serving	calcium (mg)
Tofu, medium firm or firm, made with calcium sulphate	150 gm	347
Tofu, firm, made with calcium sulphate and magnesium chloride	150 gm	234
White beans	3/4 cup	119
Navy beans	3/4 cup	93
Black turtle beans	3/4 cup	75
Pinto beans, chickpeas	3/4 cup	58
Nuts and Seeds	Portion	calcium (mg)
Tahini (sesame seed butter)	2 Tbsp	130
Almonds, dry roast	1/4 cup	93
Almond butter	2 Tbsp	88
Sesame seed kernels, dried	1/4 cup	50
Meats, Fish, and Poultry	Serving	calcium (mg)
Sardines, Atlantic, canned with bones	75 gm	286
Sardines, Pacific, canned with bones	75 gm	180
Salmon, canned with bones	75 gm	208
Grains	Serving	calcium (mg)
Oats, instant, regular, no sugar added	1 pouch	165
Non Dairy Drinks	Serving	calcium (mg)
Regular soy beverage	1 cup	110

Vegetables (all measures for cooked vegetables)	Serving	calcium (mg)
Turnip greens	1/2 cup	104
Chinese cabbage/bok choy	1/2 cup	84
Okra, frozen	1/2 cup	65
Mustard greens	1/2 cup	55
Kale	1/2 cup	49
Chinese broccoli (gai lan)	1/2 cup	46
Rutabaga	1/2 cup	43
Broccoli	1/2 cup	33
Fruit	Serving	calcium (mg)
Orange	1 med	52
Other	Serving	calcium (mg)
Brown sugar	1 cup	198
Blackstrap molasses	1 Tbsp	179
Regular molasses	1 Tbsp	44
Asian Foods	Serving	calcium (mg)
Dried fish, smelt	35 gm	560
Soy bean curd slab, semisoft	100 gm	308
Daylily flower	100 gm	303
Sea cucumber, fresh	100 gm	285
Soy bean milk film, stick shape	100 gm	77
Seaweed, Wakame, raw	1/2 cup	63
Seaweed, dry (agar)	1/2 cup	50
Fat-choy, dried	1/4 cup	50
Soy bean milk film, dried	100 gm	48
Boiled bone soup	1/2 cup	negligible

ten pounds!

I have gained ten pounds since the last time I weighed.  I'm not sure what that time period is, but only a few months, I think.

This gain puts me over my upper limit.  I allow myself some fluctuation room, but this puts me over the top of what is acceptable!

I know exactly how it happened, too.  This summer I have been eating just about anything I want.  And here's what I've discovered happens when I do that:

I become insatiable.  I just eat and eat and eat.  When I am avoiding the foods I know I should, I can eat a reasonable amount and then be satisfied.  But not true when I am eating the things that my body can't handle.

I gain weight!

I fall asleep every afternoon.

I have worse PMS symptoms - the emotional symptoms.

I am more depressed.

My body hurts worse.

I have heart palpitations.

My stomach bothers me a lot.

So... I am back off the sugar and yeast and chocolate and will soon also go off the wheat and egg yolks and everything else that I am sensitive to.

I am going to do a cleanse.  I will pick it up from the store tomorrow.  It is a short one, but a good start, I think.  I will also start drinking lemon juice in a big glass of water each morning, dry brushing my skin, and taking salt baths.  If the rec center has a sauna, I may go spend some time there.

After that, I may do a more intensive yeast cleanse.  That would take several months and exclude fruit, honey, potatoes, etc.  Maybe after Christmas?  What's Thanksgiving and Christmas without mashed potatoes?!  Meanwhile, I will be avoiding all of the things that are bad for me.

I have to get my mind back in the right place, too.  I have to stop allowing myself to feel deprived because of all the things I can't eat.  

So, I know that Mel and Julie both are working on this.  Let's all encourage one another.  It is difficult.  I really would love to eat a pie right now!  LOL  But I am fed up with feeling so lousy!  And I want my pants to fit again!

Cancer prevention

Beans- may prevent colorectal cancer.

Berries - may prevent skin, bladder, lung, esophageal, colorectal, and breast cancers.

Cruciferous vegetables - may prevent many types of cancer.

Dark leafy greens - may prevent mouth, pharynx, larynx, stomach, breast, skin, and lung cancers.

Flaxseed - may prevent colon, breast, skin, and lung cancers.

Garlic (and other allium vegetables such as onions, scallions, leeks, and chives) - may prevent stomach, colon, prostate, bladder, skin, lung, esophageal, and breast cancers.

Green tea - may prevent colon, liver, breast, prostate, lung, skin, bladder, stomach, pancreas, and esophageal cancers.

Pomegranates - may prevent prostate, lung, skin and colon cancers.

Red and purple grapes - may prevent lymph, liver, stomach, skin, breast, and leukemia cancers.

Soybeans - may prevent breast and prostate cancers.

Tomatoes - may prevent prostate, breast, lung and endometrial cancers.

Whole grains - may prevent colorectal cancers.

This information came from Delicious Living magazine.

More good reasons to get our fruits and veggies!!

caffeine

Coffee, Coke, Tea... what's your poison?

I personally have almost zero tolerance for caffeine anymore.  But I read an interesting article and want to pass on what I learned.

Coffee itself contains more antioxidants than other beverages.  It can possibly lower the risks of liver cancer and type 2 diabetes, whether it is caffeinated or not.  Caffeinated coffee may reduce incidence of gallstones and lower the risk of Parkinson's.

Caffeine in any form can improve focus, memory, reduce fatigue, and possibly stave off Alzheimer's.  There are a lot of claims as to the benefits of caffeine.

So enjoy your daily cuppa whatever and don't feel guilty about it.  

But we do need to remember that caffeine is a drug.  You need to decide how much you are willing to be controlled by that substance.  If you can't say no - then it is controlling you.

The article I read suggests that if you need the caffeine to function then you likely have an underlying problem that should be addressed.  Poor sleep, bad diet or perhaps a thyroid or other metabolic problem.

It is recommended that you take breaks from your caffeine habit on a regular basis.  Cut back gradually and eat a more alkaline diet, which would be more fruits and veggies and less carbs, cheese and meat.  Increase your vitamin C, B complex,  and calcium and magnesium to help you through the process of quitting.

Like every good thing, we need to maintain moderation.  So enjoy your coffee, coke, tea, or whatever, but you be the one in charge.

recipe for you

I made this the other night when my mom was here.  It was very good.  The kids said "Yuck.  I don't like squash.  I don't like zucchini.  I don't like herbs on my chicken.  Yuck."  But I told them tough beans and to shut their traps and eat it.  Ok, not really.  I don't talk to my kids like that.  I might say tough beans, though, I guess.  Anyway.  I told them they had to each try one bite of the zucchini and a half of a chicken tender.  They ended up eating all the chicken and several pieces of squash.  I didn't even bother trying to get them to taste the eggplant.  The eggplant was a bit disappointing, but the rest was good.

Because I can't have tomatoes or peppers, I left those out.  I doubled the recipe and marinated some chicken tenders in that.

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables

(I used regular sized veggies and sliced them)

Marinade

1/4 cup balsamic or red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small eggplant sliced into 2-inch-thick rounds

3 baby summer squash

3 baby zucchini

3 baby pattypan squash

1/2 medium red onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, left whole

1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut lengthwise into 2-inch-wide slices

1/2 red bell pepper, cut the same

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over vegetables.  Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Grill them until tender, 5-10 minutes per side.

Hot?

Try putting some fresh mint leaves in you water.  It actually makes the water feel colder.  It's great for your digestion, too!

great site

I get this magazine free at my health food store and they have a beautiful site!  It is full of healthy, yummy looking recipes.  Go take a look and maybe you'll find something new to make for your family.  Or maybe something to take to Robin for her family!

what we had for supper

A package of romaine salad

toss in some:

craisins

white raisins

almonds

chopped apple

sweet peas

mandarin oranges

On the side (because not everyone like them) I had:

chopped onions

gorganzola crumbles

chopped chicken from a cooked- at- the- grocery store chicken

I put poppy seed dressing on mine.  The others used either mango or raspberry.

It was good.  It was healthy and the best part was that everyone liked it!

grilled chicken ratatouille

I got this recipe out of Eating Well magazine.  I thought it sounded good and kids might like it if you watch Ratatouille afterwards!

3 T - extra virgin olive oil

3 T - chopped fresh basil

1 T - chopped fresh marjoram

1 t - salt

Canola or olive oil cooking spray

1 - red bell pepper, halved lengthwise, stemmed and seeded

1 - small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

1 - medium zucchini, halved lengthwise

4 - plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1-medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

4 - boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed

1/4 t - freshly ground pepper

1 T - red-wine vinegar

1. Preheat grill to medium-high

2. combine oil, basil, marjoram and salt in a small bowl and reserve 1 T of the mixture in another small bowl; set aside.

3. Coat both sides of bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini, tomato and onion pieces with cooking spray.  Grill the vegetables, turning once, until soft, and charred in spots, about 5 minutes per side for the pepper, 4 minutes per side for the eggplant and zucchini and 3 minutes per side for the tomatoes and onion.  As the vegetables finish cooking, place them in a large bowl.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

4. Rub the  tablespoon of reserved herb mixture on both sides of the chicken and sprinkle with pepper.  Grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

5. Meanwhile, transfer the grilled vegetables to a cutting board and chop into 1-inch pieces.   Return to the bowl and toss with vinegar and the remaining herb mixture.  Serve the grilled chicken with the ratatouille.

*edited to add the ingredients I missed the first time.

lunch

It is important to eat lunch every day.  If you don't you will be hungry.

Ok, how's that?

Actually, lunches can be difficult for me.  Especially when it is only me.

What do you eat for lunch?

Lately, I have not been eating very well.  I have not been getting my fruits and veggies.  I think I've been eating mostly potato chips and cheese.  That can't be good.

breakfast

Wow.  It has been a long time since I've posted.

I just wanted to say something about breakfast.

They say that eating breakfast every day is important for weight loss and maintenance.  It seems to work for me.

I didn't used to ever eat breakfast.  And even now I don't tend to get hungry until 9:30 or ten.  But I find when I eat breakfast I feel much better through the day and I think it helps me keep my weight under control.

I tend to eat an eggs, frozen waffles (natural, often wheat-free), turkey sausage, and hashbrowns.  Not always all at once, but now and then I do.  Usually it's one or two of those things.

What do you eat for breakfast?  And if you don't eat it, why?

five a day

Ok, I am doing pretty well staying off the sugar.  So my new focus is going to be exercise and getting my fruits and veggies.

I found a site that is helpful.  A serving really isn't very big so it shouldn't be too hard.  According to this site I should be getting five servings a day.  I can do that.

Like you, my problem is cleaning and cutting and storing the veggies.  I tend to forget about them and let them spoil.  But frozen veggies count and so maybe I won't make it more difficult by trying to use fresh all the time.  

The site also describes the health benefits of different color groups of veggies and lists some, so that we can have ideas of different things to eat.  Variety is important.  During the summer I could easily eat five servings of watermelon per day, but I don't think that's the way its suppose to be done.

I'll have to remember that potato chips probably don't count.

I don't really care if I smother my veggies in butter or sauce.  My point isn't to eat less calories, but to eat more nutrients.  A little bit of fat, LITTLE BIT, like olive oil or butter actually releases the fat soluble nutrients from the veggies, anyway.  So even if you are trying to cut back on calories, you should add just a tad of fat to your veggies.

I bought a book on how to select and prepare produce.  Several grocery stores have the book available in the produce section for you to refer to while shopping.  Look for it or ask the produce manager about it.  If they don't have one, then ask the produce people about fruits and veggies you aren't familiar with so you can try new things.  Ask them to help you choose the best and know how to tell if they are ripe.  They can usually give you preparation tips, too.

Here is the FDA site on five a day.  It's not as pretty, but has a lot of information.

A site with tips for incorporating fruits and veggies.

a post

I could think of things to write if you guys gave me some ideas.

I have been off the sugar, except for a few jelly bellies, and am starting to feel fewer cravings.  I am starting to feel better, too.

One thing I am really bad about is eating veggies.  I just don't like to eat them.  When I have them, I usually enjoy them, but I don't go out of my way to get them.  I am very deficient.  

What are your favorite veggies?

sugar sugar

The past couple of days I OD'd on sugar.  Here are some things that it does to me, some of which I only discovered yesterday:

Makes me very tired

Makes my head feel full and foggy

Makes me dizzy

Makes me irritable

Makes me feel anxious

Makes my heart palpitate

Increases muscle pain and stiffness

Makes me fat

changes

ok.  I haven't actually given up sugar yet.  Since I knew my birthday was coming, I figured, "why bother."  But tomorrow I will go cold turkey!

I know Mel is doing it!  Yay!

Anyone else?

Also, I realized yesterday that going shopping on a birthday is not such a great idea.  First of all when I saw myself in one of those mirrors they have everywhere, it looks like I have a bruise on my cheek.  There is no bruise.  What is that big dark smudge?  

Then everything I tried on was too small and I know I wore that size a couple of weeks ago.  Pooey.

I'm not putting on pounds.  I'm just turning to flab.  I'm losing muscle mass and replacing it with rolls and pudges.  

So, not only am I giving up the sugar.  I have GOT to start moving!  Just have to.  My dog is fat, too, so I guess we will be taking walks together.  I am thinking to ask some women I know in the area if they want a walking partner.  I would be so much more motivated that way.

How do you motivate yourself to exercise?  Do you do it at home?  At a gym?  At all?