Archive for February, 2009
One Man’s Meat is Another Man’s Poison
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
One Man’s Meat is Another Man’s Poison
This weekend I listened to two equally convincing speakers. The first presentation made the case for meat and dairy. It proved that they are crucial to maintaining good health and getting the nutrition your body needs. The second presentation talked about heart disease, cholesterol, and obesity. The speaker proved that the only cure is a vegan diet. Each speaker was intelligent and presented their findings with compelling research. In a nutshell, I was confused.
So, who has it right? It’s easy to get confused when everyone is telling you something different about the best and worst foods to eat. Here’s what I took from them both.
Do what’s best for you. One man’s meat is another man’s poison. A vegan lifestyle may work great for your friend or family member, but it could make you feel sick or weak. Same idea for meat and dairy.
There are a few things both speakers agreed on. Eat more whole foods as they exist in nature. Reach for vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and grass-fed/antibiotic free meats and dairy, etc. Avoid eating anything processed, enriched, chemicalized, or backed by a marketing campaign. Be aware of the ingredients in your food. If you can’t pronounce it or don’t know what it is, you have no way of knowing what effect it will have on your body, your emotions, and your overall wellness.
Listen to your body (not your mind)…it will lead you in the right direction.
Yes We Can!
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
It can be really frustrating when some of the healthiest foods at the grocery store are the most expensive. Last week one of my friends was appalled when she saw artichokes were selling for over $4.50 a piece at her closest grocery. However, there are still some great choices if you want to eat healthy, and if you plan ahead, you can save yourself enough money to buy a few of the more expensive fresh fruits and vegetables.
I present to you my favorite cheap and healthy food staple - whole grains. Newsflash! You can buy bags of brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, or any other whole grain for a few dollars and a little goes a long way once they’re cooked. So, try it out. If you’re having a “DUH!” moment…I apologize…but I get the feeling that most people aren’t eating many whole grains these days.
Over the weekend, when you likely have more time and energy to cook, prepare big family-size portions of whole grains. This past Sunday I made brown rice and buckwheat while I did the laundry. Cook them according to the directions and then pack away in your refrigerator in tight containers for the whole week. You can add fruit and nuts to them for a quick breakfast, or add fresh or frozen vegetables, meat, eggs, fresh herbs, spices or whatever you want for lunch or dinner during the week. Cooking the grains plain and setting them aside allows you to create variety all week long. You’ll be so happy you put in the cooking time over the weekend, because it will take you five minutes or less to spruce up the grains. Seriously…easy peasy.
The past few months have been a struggle for me financially, so I’m always looking for ways to save a buck without sabotaging my health. Making more whole grains in bulk is really hleping me out! I hope this tip gives you a hand too.
Oven-Roasted Root Veggies
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Thursday nights are usually a crash-and-burn night for me because it’s the end of my regular work week, and I’m always looking for something easy and comforting when I get home. That’s a recipe for disaster unless you have healthy foods stocked up in the house! So, last night I tried cooking a big pan of roasted root vegetables and it turned out so good! I got the idea from an article on WBIR.com about how to eat away bad moods (in a healthy way). Kara Brackney, a holistic health counselor certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, says roasted root vegetables are a great answer for sweet cravings. Kara explains that “You’re getting all these nutrients…and you’re getting the sweetness.”
I took her advice on the root veggies, and here’s how I did it:
Oven-Roasted Root Veggies
Peel and cut up some root vegetables into about 1 in. cubes and toss them into a casserole dish or sheet pan (I used sweet potatoes, turnips, carrots, and onion). Drizzle olive oil on top with some salt, pepper, and rosemary (or whatever spices you like). Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. That’s it! Store leftovers in the refrigerator and warm up a bowl whenever your next sweet craving hits.
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Ya know, another great thing about root vegetables is that they are some of the most inexpensive produce at the store. It was a cheap meal to make last night and I’ve got more to spare for the rest of the weekend.
Oh, and did I mention that they made my apartment smell amazing?!
Oven-Roasted Root Veggies
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Thursday nights are usually a crash-and-burn night for me because it’s the end of my regular work week, and I’m always looking for something easy and comforting when I get home. That’s a recipe for disaster unless you have healthy foods stocked up in the house! So, last night I tried cooking a big pan of roasted root vegetables and it turned out so good! I got the idea from an article on WBIR.com about how to eat away bad moods (in a healthy way). Kara Brackney, a holistic health counselor certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, says roasted root vegetables are a great answer for sweet cravings. Kara explains that “You’re getting all these nutrients…and you’re getting the sweetness.”
I took her advice on the root veggies, and here’s how I did it:
Oven-Roasted Root Veggies
Peel and cut up some root vegetables into about 1 in. cubes and toss them into a casserole dish or sheet pan (I used sweet potatoes, turnips, carrots, and onion). Drizzle olive oil on top with some salt, pepper, and rosemary (or whatever spices you like). Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. That’s it! Store leftovers in the refrigerator and warm up a bowl whenever your next sweet craving hits.
.
Ya know, another great thing about root vegetables is that they are some of the most inexpensive produce at the store. It was a cheap meal to make last night and I’ve got more to spare for the rest of the weekend.
Oh, and did I mention that they made my apartment smell amazing?!
Eat Yogurt, Avoid Bladder Cancer
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Eat Yogurt, Avoid Bladder Cancer
If you love yogurt, you’re in luck. You probably already know it’s good for you, but I found a recent Swedish study that gives us more evidence. Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm studied the diets of 80,000 patients in a nine-year span and published their findings in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
They concluded that women who consumed two servings of yogurt every day were 45% less likely to develop bladder cancer than those who only eat it occasionally or not at all (36% for men). What’s interesting is that the researchers found no protective benefit in other dairy products. It was only the yogurt or cultured milk products with lactic acid bacteria.
Lead study author Alicja Wolk, Ph.D., says the probiotic called lactobacillus in cultured dairy products could be responsible for providing these protective benefits. (Ref: Women’s Health, March 2009, p. 28)
Of course, it’s safe to say that most people who eat yogurt probably lead healthier lifestyles, but the findings are still significant. Yeah!
Kamut Pasta & White Bean Salad
Chocolate News!
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Here’s a good reason to pick up some dark chocolate for you or your one true love on Valentine’s Day…and every other occasion after that. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition concluded that people who regularly eat dark chocolate (in moderate amounts) had 17% lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood. C-reactive protein is found in our blood when there’s inflammation inside the body. Previous research found that people with high CRP levels are at greater risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.
Remember that with chocolate, a little goes a long way. Have a small square a few times a week (2-3) to keep your heart healthy. University of Illinois professor of food science and human nutrition, John Erdman, Jr., Ph.D., recommends high-cacao content dark chocolate because it has the most flavanols (a class of flavonoids, or those wonderful antioxidants we all need). (Ref: Body+Soul Magazine, March 2009, p.33)
If you have trouble eating just a little bit of chocolate instead of the whole bar, try cutting it into small pieces that you can take on the go. That way you only have the small piece when you go to eat it later in the day.
Yea for Decomposing Garlic!
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
RedOrbit reports that new research recently confirmed why garlic is so good for us. I didn’t realize anyone was disputing garlic’s health benefits…but hey, more evidence is always a good thing.
Here’s what we already knew:
Allicin is an organic compound in garlic that gives it the flavor and smell. It becomes a powerful antioxidant in our body. But, how is it so powerful?
A team from Queen’s University in Ontario recently concluded that allicin decomposes in the body to produce a very quick and potent antioxidant reaction. The Canada Research Chair in Free Radical Chemistry, Dr. Pratt, says “the reaction between the sulfenic acid and radicals is as fast as it can get, limited only by the time it takes for the two molecules to come into contact. No one has ever seen compounds, natural or synthetic, react this quickly as antioxidants.” Pratt believes the healthy benefits of garlic are closely linked with the sulfenic acid reaction.
It’s kind of fun to learn more about how whole foods make their little health magic inside our bodies. Remember that fresh garlic contains the most allicin, so chop some up and enjoy. For me, garlic is the easiest way to flavor-up some fresh veggies.
