Changing Tastes

I want to try at least one new food this week. I am thinking an artichoke sounds interesting. I have to admit that I've never bought one. So... an artichoke it is. Now... to find a recipe.

The Green Smoothie Girl

May I introduce you to Robyn? She is known on the web as "Green Smoothie Girl" and is a big promotor of whole foods. I am still working toward drinking a true green smoothie. We've made a couple and I just haven't been able to drink them down. I have been able to manage spinach and a little dark green lettuce in my fruit smoothies. I'm working my way up to true green, though! Green Smoothie Girl is a great resource and inspiration. Let me know if you find any treats that work for you! Enjoy!

Makeover In Progress

 


So... that's me at Christmas last year. Eeekkk! I don't know who took that picture with my camera, but now that I am making changes, it's actually good to see myself as I have been seen by the world. (Oh man~ I looked better before I cropped eveybody else out!) There is definitely a little too much of me there!! So... here's the COURAGE to post it. (It has taken me a week to click on the 'publish post' button.) And I'll post another photo as soon as I can get someone to take one that shows improvement. I've lost at least 11 pounds since then and I can wear clothes I couldn't wear a year ago!

I gave up dairy in February and it has made a big difference in how I feel. I have increased my fruit and veggie intake tremendously (for me anyway) and significantly reduced the amount of meat I eat. I've been working on eliminating sugar from my diet and replacing it with yummy fruit smoothies with no added sweetener except a few dates if needed. My tastes are changing! I have always used very little salt in my cooking and hardly ever sprinkle it on my food. Now I use even less salt and it's amazing to taste the natural salts and sugars in the foods. Wow! And get this~ several people over the past 2 weeks have asked me if I've lost weight! It's really showing.

As of today I weigh 142 pounds and I've lost 4 inches off my waist. It's time to put exercise back into the routine of my week. Karate class is there... I just need to go! The most important change to make is to stick to the "Eat to Live" pattern of feeding my family.

I'll share some important principles in my next post... some you may know, some you may not realize. Remember the basic premise "You are what you eat" and you'll be on the right track!

Motivation to Learn

When my children get sick there is a ton of motivation to figure out what to do to help them heal. During recent weeks an intestinal bug has taken its time moving through our family and several of us took rounds of antibiotics. One child was even hospitalized overnight for observation. The doctors suspected appendicitis, but after blood work and a CT scan they decided it was more than likely an intestinal viral infection. He did not have surgery. It was a long sickness, lasting for about two weeks for each child. Nothing but rest and waiting seemed to help them get well.

I have started looking a little more intently at what we have been eating (or not eating). Our family frequently takes chewable acidophylus and we keep yogurt on hand for those who like it. For years we've also taken garlic gels to ward off sickness which has helped tremendously, but these days I have been much more interested in searching for which FOODS can help with intestinal upset as well as help strengthen the cells and tissues of the body in order to prevent disease in general.

For this particular time of sickness in my family, I did some searching for info on what foods might help strengthen the digestive tract and immune system. I discovered that FRESH garlic not only has the anti-viral and anti-biotic properties I am familiar with, but can also aid in the digestive process. And I love the smell! (Aromatherapy is good for you too!)

Here's info that's new to me: Pineapple ~EATEN ALONE~ offers great benefits for the intestinal tract. Apparently, the bromelain in the pineapple helps with inflammation and digestion. I also read that it can help speed wound healing and relieve muscle soreness among other things. And as always, the WHOLE FOOD may be much better for you than any powdered concoction or tablet made by man. Not that they're all bad... just that the whole food is usually better. Remember, whole foods contain enzymes (along with many yet to be discovered components) that work along with particular compounds, minerals, and nutrients in foods so that their maximum benefits can be realized.
So, I'm off to cut up the pineapple that's waiting on my kitchen counter and chill it in the fridge to eat later this afternoon. Want some?

Tidbits

Now, I'm not saying we're going to turn out looking like gorillas or weighing as much as gorillas, but think about what a fruit and veggie diet is capable of producing...

A male gorilla weighs about 4 pounds at birth and eats a fruit and veggie diet all his life. An adult male gorilla weighs between 400 and 500 pounds. All that from leaves, roots, stems and fruit! There must be enough building blocks in there!

Something I didn't know: Gorillas also get their moisture from food and do not drink water. Interesting...

Knowledge is Power!

Knowledge about whole foods is real power! I'm a book lover, so my appetite for knowledge is easily appeased. Check the book shelf to see my favorites. I'm still working my way throught most of them, but they are yummy.

In the Introduction (p 8) to his book "Eat to Live" Dr. Joel Fuhrman says: "I have found that a comprehensive education in the subject (of a nutrient dense diet) is necessary for my patients to achieve the results they are looking for-- but once they understand the concepts, they "own" them. They find it easier to change. So make no mistake: the complete knowledge base of the book is essential if you want to achieve significant success, but I know that after you read this book you will say, "This makes sense." You will be a weight-loss and nutrition expert, and by the end you will have a strong foundation of knowledge that will serve you (and your newly slim self) for the rest of your life."

Go get a healthy snack and read awhile! (If you don't have access to the book right away, there's plenty to read on his website. Click on the "Eat to Live" webpage in the right hand column.)