I've had my eye on the Vitamix as a choice of high-powered blender for quite some time. Well, I'm proud to say that I've finally taken the plunge and purchased one. I say I'm proud because it's every bit as phenomenal as its reputation claims it is.
What differentiates the Vitamix series of blenders from your average blender? Well, for one, price. It's definitely more expensive. But as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for."
Most blenders have comparatively weak motors so they are built with a coupling that will 'slip' if there is too much torque so as not to burn out the motor. Not so with the Vitamix. The Vitamix 6300, for example, sports an impressive 11.5 amps and 1380 watts of power capacity in its motor. Therefore, since the motor is so powerful, it has a direct drive between the motor and the blade. This is the case with all Vitamix blenders. This leads to a more thorough blend of the ingredients.
Another distinguishing factor is the warranty. Vitamix extends a standard 7-year warrant for any new purchases of their blenders. For their refurbished program, a standard 5-year warranty will be applied and you may extend this to a 7-year warranty for an additional price.
They will also throw in a recipe book that contains many interesting recipes for smoothies, dips, sauces, soups, salad dressings, etc.
All Vitamix blenders come with a tamper which is used to tamp down air pockets in your ingredients which can develop from time to time. (this can be avoided by adding liquids first)
Various Vitamix models include different electronic features. The 6300, which I own, includes pulse, variable speed, and three presets: hot soups, frozen desserts, and smoothies.
To clean the vitamix, simply rinse in the sink right away and/or add a little hot soapy water to the blender and blend for a few seconds and rinse. I have found that the particular design and materials used in the Vitamix container make cleaning it almost delightful. Well, as delightful as cleaning can be.
All of these things make the Vitamix one of the coolest and most useful blenders on the market today. The price is not something to gloss over for sure. And it is undoubtedly a major purchasing decision for most people. If you are crazy about smoothies and fresh food, having a high-powered blender will likely become an important appliance in your home.
So hopefully I have convinced you that the price of the Vitamix blender is worth the benefits of owning one. I chose to go with one of their refurbished models as I don't mind the shorter warranty or the fact that the motor has already been used previously. I have had nothing but good experience thus far.
An interesting little factoid:
You can actually make a hot soup or even scramble eggs in the Vitamix! Yes, you read that right...the motor is so powerful and spins at such a high RPM that it makes it possible to heat up your ingredients within a few minutes of high-speed blending! Now, many times this will actually be an undesirable side-effect which means that adding ice becomes even more important to creating a delicious, refreshing, healthy smoothie. Just keep in mind that there are many possible uses of a high-powered blender.
Personally, I'm looking forward to creating fresh and healthy dressings to pour over salads. I'm also excited to begin using my Vitamix to create delicious smoothies more often.
Whichever technology you use in your kitchen, from my heart to yours, cheers to good health.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Seriously, Drink more water!
Water is really important to a fully functioning body and brain
We can get by pretty well with very little water. Depending on what your definition of "well" is. But tipping back a large bottle of water (I like to use a 46 oz. juice bottle that has had the juice drank already) can be very beneficial.
Try drinking a Liter or so as soon as you rise in the morning.
How much water should we drink daily? 1.5-2 Liters per day.
Now that might sound like a lot but it really doesn't have to be that daunting. If you make sure your properly interpret your body's signals for water and food, you will sometimes notice that no matter how many snack foods you eat, your body still feels an urge to consume something. That thing which your body probably wants to consume is...you guessed it: WATER!
Water, aqua, H2O...this clear fluid...this solvent...is basically like the chemical compound that makes life possible. If all we had was our body but no water, guess what...nothing would work...we'd be completely dead! And I don't just mean we'd lack a heartbeat or a brainwave pattern! I mean to say that all of the complex chemical reactions that take place within the cells of living organisms would never work properly!!
Water is important as a medium to deliver nutrients to cells, to wash them clean of their metabolized waste matter, to buffer the body and cells from pH changes and chemical irritants/toxins.
Water is the essence of all life.
I guarantee you will feel more alert and ready to fulfill the goals you have planned out for the day...or if you have none decided currently...perhaps getting properly hydrated will help you think clearly enough to decide what you want to do with your day.
Cheers to great health and full Hydration!!
Remember, 1.5-2 Liters of Water per day...
We can get by pretty well with very little water. Depending on what your definition of "well" is. But tipping back a large bottle of water (I like to use a 46 oz. juice bottle that has had the juice drank already) can be very beneficial.
Try drinking a Liter or so as soon as you rise in the morning.
How much water should we drink daily? 1.5-2 Liters per day.
Now that might sound like a lot but it really doesn't have to be that daunting. If you make sure your properly interpret your body's signals for water and food, you will sometimes notice that no matter how many snack foods you eat, your body still feels an urge to consume something. That thing which your body probably wants to consume is...you guessed it: WATER!
Water, aqua, H2O...this clear fluid...this solvent...is basically like the chemical compound that makes life possible. If all we had was our body but no water, guess what...nothing would work...we'd be completely dead! And I don't just mean we'd lack a heartbeat or a brainwave pattern! I mean to say that all of the complex chemical reactions that take place within the cells of living organisms would never work properly!!
Water is important as a medium to deliver nutrients to cells, to wash them clean of their metabolized waste matter, to buffer the body and cells from pH changes and chemical irritants/toxins.
Water is the essence of all life.
I guarantee you will feel more alert and ready to fulfill the goals you have planned out for the day...or if you have none decided currently...perhaps getting properly hydrated will help you think clearly enough to decide what you want to do with your day.
Cheers to great health and full Hydration!!
Remember, 1.5-2 Liters of Water per day...
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Fix your Posture
The way we sit is an important but often overlooked habit. Do you slouch on the couch when you use your laptop, phone, or tablet, or when you watch TV or play video games? If so, give this little test a shot. Either scoot farther back and straighten your back or move to the edge of your seat and sit with your back straight. Either way, make sure that your back is leaning "forward" or more "vertical" than in the slouched position.
If you are not used to sitting this way, it may feel slightly awkward but it should feel good. Sitting upright instead of leaning back in a slouched position is better for your back and works out your back muscles and abdominal muscles much more. It will help keep you toned.
Sitting upright will also help you digest your food better.
Your breathing will even take less effort and you will be able to naturally expand your lungs further when you sit in an upright position.
Even though it's much better to sit upright than slouched...it is not good to sit for long periods of time at all...no matter how you sit.
By sitting for long periods of time, not only are you lowering your metabolism and heart rate and not being active, but you are also cramping your blood vessels in your thighs and buttocks, impairing your circulation.
If you work on a computer a lot or whatever it is you do, consider a stand-up desk. Or at least take short breaks every hour or so and do some small household chore or go on a walk or jog. You will return to your work feeling invigorated and fresh with energy!
Modern life is full of sitting and typing or gaming or watching video, etc. Modern life requires us to consciously choose to exercise and stretch for its own sake. A lot of times, it's easy to forget how important it is to take care of the body that houses our brain and mind and we do not treat it well.
Sit less and Exercise more my friends!
If you are not used to sitting this way, it may feel slightly awkward but it should feel good. Sitting upright instead of leaning back in a slouched position is better for your back and works out your back muscles and abdominal muscles much more. It will help keep you toned.
Sitting upright will also help you digest your food better.
Your breathing will even take less effort and you will be able to naturally expand your lungs further when you sit in an upright position.
Even though it's much better to sit upright than slouched...it is not good to sit for long periods of time at all...no matter how you sit.
By sitting for long periods of time, not only are you lowering your metabolism and heart rate and not being active, but you are also cramping your blood vessels in your thighs and buttocks, impairing your circulation.
If you work on a computer a lot or whatever it is you do, consider a stand-up desk. Or at least take short breaks every hour or so and do some small household chore or go on a walk or jog. You will return to your work feeling invigorated and fresh with energy!
Modern life is full of sitting and typing or gaming or watching video, etc. Modern life requires us to consciously choose to exercise and stretch for its own sake. A lot of times, it's easy to forget how important it is to take care of the body that houses our brain and mind and we do not treat it well.
Sit less and Exercise more my friends!
Guidelines for Food Combining (Optimizing Digestibility)
Eat simply.
We often measure the wholesomeness of a meal by its extravagance, the number of sides, etc. On Thanksgiving, million, billions of us around the world even...celebrate by preparing a very large, literally stuffy meal. And then what happens? We get drowsy, maybe even fall asleep while the afternoon football game is on.
Enter the concept of Food Combining
One reason why eating that much food can make you tired is just because of the sheer volume of food that you eat all at once and then your body has to work very hard to digest it. (and is still not able to digest it as well as it could if you ate less)
There is diminishing returns when you eat too much at once.
But also, the amount of different combinations that you have going on in a lot of meals is problematic for optimal digestion. There are pH differences, ease of digestibility differences, reactions, some minerals and vitamins inhibit the absorption of each other, etc.
It is important to be aware of what you are putting into your stomach and watch out for anything that might upset the digestion. And keep in mind that the feeling of an "upset stomach" is only the worst case where we are able to notice. A lot goes on with our bodies without us really realizing it. So it's important to learn some principles.
For instance, if you eat too many berries at once, we know that this can cause an upset stomach. What about combining meat with fruit? It might seem benign but meat takes a lot longer to digest than the fruit does and we don't want the fruit to start to ferment or the meat to take any longer than it needs to or it may start rotting, etc.
It is also very important to maintain excellent hydration as well as circulation which depends on our activities. If we sit around all day at a desk or watching TV rather than at least doing some walking, stretches, and simple exercises...then we will have much poorer circulation and increased digestion times as well.
It should be noted that indigestion is a very common thing and lots of people take TUMS or other over the counter or prescription medications in order to fight acid reflux, heartburn, excess gas, etc. And constipation is also way underdiagnosed. So it's not as if the subject of Digestion doesn't need to be addressed in the public consciousness. We need to be educated...including myself. Which is exactly why I'm doing this blog. Because as I research for these blog articles, I'm able to learn even more for myself. And we obviously shouldn't expect to completely change our diets and lifestyles overnight but we can make steady and consistent changes and not be too hard on ourselves for "failing" to maintain our standards. How can we blame ourselves? We live in a society where we are constantly marketed by companies who want to sell us junk! It's OK to fail. We can always learn from our mistakes!!
Colon Cancer, Leaky Gut, Crohn's Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Heartburn, Constipation, and Acid Reflux are just some of the many diseases or symptoms that can be linked to the improper combinations of food. That's not always the main cause. It might be lack of exercise, not enough water consumption, too many spicy foods, the wrong types of foods period, etc.
One surefire solution is of course to eat "Mono-Meals." This is basically exactly what it sounds like. One simply eats one thing as a meal or snack and that's it. You might have grapes and only grapes. Or just three or four oranges. Or two apples. Or a salad with no meat. This is not always practical though because we only have so much time and sometimes it's useful to combine multiple foods.
When Combining Foods, it can be handy to use a food combination chart.
Chart 1 Front
Chart 1 Back
Chart 2
I sincerely hope this information has been valuable to you!
Cheers to Optimization!
We often measure the wholesomeness of a meal by its extravagance, the number of sides, etc. On Thanksgiving, million, billions of us around the world even...celebrate by preparing a very large, literally stuffy meal. And then what happens? We get drowsy, maybe even fall asleep while the afternoon football game is on.
Enter the concept of Food Combining
One reason why eating that much food can make you tired is just because of the sheer volume of food that you eat all at once and then your body has to work very hard to digest it. (and is still not able to digest it as well as it could if you ate less)
There is diminishing returns when you eat too much at once.
But also, the amount of different combinations that you have going on in a lot of meals is problematic for optimal digestion. There are pH differences, ease of digestibility differences, reactions, some minerals and vitamins inhibit the absorption of each other, etc.
It is important to be aware of what you are putting into your stomach and watch out for anything that might upset the digestion. And keep in mind that the feeling of an "upset stomach" is only the worst case where we are able to notice. A lot goes on with our bodies without us really realizing it. So it's important to learn some principles.
For instance, if you eat too many berries at once, we know that this can cause an upset stomach. What about combining meat with fruit? It might seem benign but meat takes a lot longer to digest than the fruit does and we don't want the fruit to start to ferment or the meat to take any longer than it needs to or it may start rotting, etc.
It is also very important to maintain excellent hydration as well as circulation which depends on our activities. If we sit around all day at a desk or watching TV rather than at least doing some walking, stretches, and simple exercises...then we will have much poorer circulation and increased digestion times as well.
It should be noted that indigestion is a very common thing and lots of people take TUMS or other over the counter or prescription medications in order to fight acid reflux, heartburn, excess gas, etc. And constipation is also way underdiagnosed. So it's not as if the subject of Digestion doesn't need to be addressed in the public consciousness. We need to be educated...including myself. Which is exactly why I'm doing this blog. Because as I research for these blog articles, I'm able to learn even more for myself. And we obviously shouldn't expect to completely change our diets and lifestyles overnight but we can make steady and consistent changes and not be too hard on ourselves for "failing" to maintain our standards. How can we blame ourselves? We live in a society where we are constantly marketed by companies who want to sell us junk! It's OK to fail. We can always learn from our mistakes!!
Colon Cancer, Leaky Gut, Crohn's Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Heartburn, Constipation, and Acid Reflux are just some of the many diseases or symptoms that can be linked to the improper combinations of food. That's not always the main cause. It might be lack of exercise, not enough water consumption, too many spicy foods, the wrong types of foods period, etc.
One surefire solution is of course to eat "Mono-Meals." This is basically exactly what it sounds like. One simply eats one thing as a meal or snack and that's it. You might have grapes and only grapes. Or just three or four oranges. Or two apples. Or a salad with no meat. This is not always practical though because we only have so much time and sometimes it's useful to combine multiple foods.
When Combining Foods, it can be handy to use a food combination chart.
Chart 1 Front
Chart 1 Back
Chart 2
I sincerely hope this information has been valuable to you!
Cheers to Optimization!
The extreme importance of Hydration
Our body's signal of thirst is almost indistinguishable from hunger so it is important to make sure that we are providing what our body really wants. When you think you want a soda or a donut or a slice of cake or a candy bar or whatever you think you're craving...try drinking some mildly cold water and see if that does the trick.
In fact, check out these warning signs of dehydration:
Yellow Urine
Infrequent Urination
Headaches
Dry Skin
Dry Mouth
Dizziness
Fatigue
Muscle Soreness
You should drink at least 6-8 Cups of Water per Day if not more!
Try drinking 2 quarts of Water first thing in the morning to rehydrate your body after sleeping and help flush your digestive tract. You may try adding a bit of salt to replenish your electrolytes and have a banana for the potassium.
Some hydrating fresh produce are tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, watermelons, cantelopes, and coconut water.
Water is absolutely essential for you to properly digest and utilize your food! And when you workout, especially cardiovascular exercises like walking, jogging, and running...you help increase the circulation of your fluids and this helps detoxify and replenish and feed your cells.
Proper Hydration and Exercise are very synergistic to each other. The one greatly amplifies the benefits of the other.
Here are some other problems of chronic dehydration:
13 Symptoms of Chronic Dehydration
There's an APP for that! Track how much Water you're drinking on your Android:
Waterbalance App for Android
Here are some other problems of chronic dehydration:
13 Symptoms of Chronic Dehydration
There's an APP for that! Track how much Water you're drinking on your Android:
Waterbalance App for Android
Don't sweat it! Well...you know what I mean!
Peace...
But Fresh Fruit is too Expensive!
We've all thought it! And there is truth to it. Fresh produce can be expensive, especially if it isn't in season. There's a trick that anybody can use though.
Simple.
Go to your supermarket and check the price of bananas. Even the Organic version is fairly inexpensive.
Economics is just one aspect of why bananas are awesome. They also pack great energy and nutrition into an easy to open and clean package with only 110 Calories!
Tip: Look for Bananas that are starting to turn spotted brown so they will be ripe when you buy them. If you think you will go through quite a few bananas then you may want to get some that are yellow or even green so that you have some time to eat them while they finish ripening.
The best bananas are the ones that are spotted brown. That is when they will be the sweetest because the Starch is breaking down into simpler sugars. Be careful though, you don't want it to be too mushy. A good way to store bananas is by hanging them on a banana stand on your counter. It is important that bananas get plenty of airflow so that the ethylene gas they give off won't speed up their ripening or over-ripen them.
Many people are deficient in Potassium so bananas are a great snack for almost anyone!
Great Health Benefits of Bananas:
Potassium
Vitamin C
Vitamin B6
Manganese
Fiber
Easily Digestible
Awesome Glycemic Index (approx. 52 or less depending on ripeness)
So, you see...don't let the price of fresh produce deter you from eating healthy! There are ways to eat healthy without breaking the bank.
Cheers!
Simple.
Go to your supermarket and check the price of bananas. Even the Organic version is fairly inexpensive.
Economics is just one aspect of why bananas are awesome. They also pack great energy and nutrition into an easy to open and clean package with only 110 Calories!
Tip: Look for Bananas that are starting to turn spotted brown so they will be ripe when you buy them. If you think you will go through quite a few bananas then you may want to get some that are yellow or even green so that you have some time to eat them while they finish ripening.
The best bananas are the ones that are spotted brown. That is when they will be the sweetest because the Starch is breaking down into simpler sugars. Be careful though, you don't want it to be too mushy. A good way to store bananas is by hanging them on a banana stand on your counter. It is important that bananas get plenty of airflow so that the ethylene gas they give off won't speed up their ripening or over-ripen them.
Many people are deficient in Potassium so bananas are a great snack for almost anyone!
Great Health Benefits of Bananas:
Potassium
Vitamin C
Vitamin B6
Manganese
Fiber
Easily Digestible
Awesome Glycemic Index (approx. 52 or less depending on ripeness)
So, you see...don't let the price of fresh produce deter you from eating healthy! There are ways to eat healthy without breaking the bank.
Cheers!
What should we Eat and When should we Eat it?
Food is a seemingly simple thing. And yet pop culture is full of fad diets that go in and out of favor and battle for superiority. Some people swear by the Atkin's. Some people think you should avoid all Cholesterol like it's a deadly flesh eating bacteria. Some tout the claims of Superfoods and bottled supplements as a miracle. Some think all diets are ridiculous.
The one thing in common with the majority of these points of view is that there is a mysterious lack of perspective and Scientific data to truly back up claims and support their viewpoint. Well, I assure you, I have looked into the Scientific literature over a period of a couple of years now and although I'm still working towards a deeper perspective and more refined view of optimal health standards, I am pretty sure I am on the right track. I am always willing to course correct though.
This post will be about some simple guidelines I think we should follow if we want to get variety and easily digestible meals.
Firstly, we must ask ourselves what main "food groups" we should eat from. I'm not talking about the groups in the pyramid yet. I'm starting one level of abstraction higher than that even. I'm talking about the basic 3...Carbohydrates, Fats, and Proteins.
We've all heard of these. Carbohydrates are complex sugars which are sources of fuel for our cells. They constantly get broken down into Glucose (blood sugar) in the bloodstream and used to energize the metabolism of our cells. We all know that it's best to avoid highly refined sources of sugar such as table sugar or drinks which contain many, many spoon fulls of the white crystals such as sodas, energy drinks, and fake "juices."
So where should we get our Carbohydrates? Fruits and Vegetables are a good source. Grains from Granola, Cereals, and Bread are OK sources although shouldn't be relied upon too heavily. Fruits do have a lot of sugar but they are also full of lots of Fiber which buffers the impact of sugar on the body and makes it easier for our body to absorb the sugar without mounting an emergency response and creating a huge spike in Insulin. These insulin spikes are very intense and not healthy for the body. It is best to keep as stable a blood sugar level throughout the day as reasonably possible.
Proteins are obviously important for the building of muscle and cellular machinery but the truth is that there are lots of sources of most Amino Acids besides just meat. A lot of people tend to think of meat as the main source of protein but really there is lots of protein in other foods. Nuts, seeds, fruits...there is often a lot of protein to be found...
It is important that we get all the different kinds of Protein that we need. The different kinds are called Amino Acids. The kinds we need from our diet are called Essential Amino Acids. I won't go into those in detail in this post but I will at a later date. The important thing to keep in mind is that you need a good variety of foods. I don't recommend eating the same thing or same couple of things every meal, for obvious reasons. (although I do recommend keeping each meal as simple as possible...in essence, food combining principles...again, I will get into that at a later date as well)
Now, for the evil Fats. LOL. This is definitely the most hated category. It makes sense due to the fact that this is the category that is most visible to the naked eye when we see someone who is clearly not healthy. Even though excess fat storage on the body is a common sign of bad health, this is not a very good reason to malign the entire food group.
In fact, Fats are extremely important for you Heart, Brain, Nerves, Cell Membranes, Skin, Liver, Blood Vessels, etc! Fats are insulators and in the body they protect our brain and nerves from interference. Fat also divides the inside of the cell from the intracellular fluid. Fat cushions soft, delicate tissues as well and can even do emergency healing in arteries and blood vessels if there is damage to the internal structure of the vessels. This is why arterial plaque (cholesterol) is often found in heart attack patients. But we need to keep in mind that "Correlation does not equal Causation!" Vitamin C deficiency is in fact often cited by many Scientists, including Linus Pauling, as a good predictor of heart disease. Vitamin C is an important Antioxidant that can protect against free radicals which often do the most damage to delicate organs like the heart, blood vessels, brain, and nerves. Fats and Antioxidants protect against this Free Radical damage which we absorb from our food, the environment, and even is produced naturally from metabolism.
What types of fats should we look for in our diet? Which should we avoid? Through my research, the main fats that I have learned to avoid are Hydrogenated oils such as Margarine. I recommend opting instead for real Butter from Cow Dairy.
I also recommend looking for Whole Milk from Grass Fed Cows in a Glass Bottle. The taste will be surprisingly different.
Good sources of Cholesterol are eggs.
Then there are the Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids. These are commonly recognized especially in the last decade or so and, as many know, they are common in Fish and Fish Oil Capsules.
Through my research, I have learned that the Standard American Diet (SAD) which is high in grains and meat and often way too low in fresh fruits and vegetables...is too high in Omega 6 and too low in Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
The recommendation is to move the ratio to a more optimal level where you are taking in more Omega 3 and less Omega 6. A good source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids is Flax Seed. You can add Flax Meal to yogurt, cereal, smoothies, etc. Or you can alternatively take Flax Oil in Capsule form or bulk oil form. A good way to ensure a healthy balance of Omega 3 and 6 is to eat fish at least once or twice per week and limit your grain and meat meals compared to fruit and vegetables.
The main problem with modern, industrialized countries (especially the United States) is that a lot of us go for the quickest meals we can possibly find including microwavable box dinners, quick oven boxed meals, takeout, fast food, quick stovetop meals, etc. Most of these things are not inherently bad but our over-reliance upon them is. When we don't make time to sit down and peel an orange or take a few bananas along with us to work or pack the kids' school lunches with an apple and some peaches...we are setting ourselves up for infections, sickness, tiredness, irritability, headaches, and nutritional deficiencies. The nutritional deficiencies are basically what causes all of the sicknesses. Disease mostly has to do with not eating the right stuff and less to do with eating the bad stuff. (although when we eat more of the good stuff, we usually have less room for the bad stuff...)
Now, for the big picture view of Carbs, Protein, and Fats. I subscribe to the 80/10/10 Diet which recommends about 80% of your Caloric daily intake as Carbs, 10% as Protein, and 10% as Fats.
A lot of people don't realize how much Protein is in nuts and seeds or meat so they inadvertently eat a lot more protein than they probably really needed that day. Same thing with fats. It's so easy to pack a lot more fats (especially the kinds we really should avoid) into our diet if we eat that donut or that cake, or that ice cream, or what have you...
Also, be careful where you are getting your Carbohydrates or Sugars from! If you are getting most of your Calories from Soda, you are doing it all wrong!! We've all done this. I have drank more pop in my lifetime that I can keep track of and it hasn't done me any good! I can guarantee you that! It's a quick fix to fatigue and it doesn't really last all that long anyway. It's not worth it. If you are low on energy, peel open a banana, an orange, bit into an apple, drink some 100% Fruit Juice, juice your own fruit, etc.
Do NOT give into the temptation of going to your local convenience store and filling up the 32oz. cup with your favorite mixture of highly sweetened, carbonated syrup and water! You will only be satiated for a little while and then you will get thirst for some more! This is not a sustainable way to drink/eat...
Also, if you get the urge for a soda, there's a good chance that what your body is truly craving is a big glass of mildly cold water. BTW, it is a great idea to down a quart or two of water early in your morning routine. You may want to consider adding a small amount of salt to it as well in order to prevent having too low of salt in your body.
Anyway, I commend you for making it this far and I hope that I haven't made you fall asleep!
One last recommendation real quick:
Try to eat most of your heavier meals (high in carbs) earlier in the day and have lighter meals in the evening. Try to have more of your fats especially at night. Maybe a nice large salad with olive oil and some tomatoes perhaps for your Supper meal! Also, you can always have a banana anytime!
Bananas are great for any snack and having a three or four of them can even be pretty filling! They are only approximately 110 Calories each and are rich in Fiber, Potassium, and Tryptophan which is a precursor to Melatonin. The Potassium can prevent leg cramping and is an electrolyte which helps rehydrate so athletes and runners often eat bananas quite often.
The reason you should eat more of your Carbs earlier in the day and eat lighter, less energy-dense meals towards the evening is so that digestion is easier and you don't get hopped up with a whole bunch of energy just when your body should be going to sleep!
So, I hope I gave you a taste of what I have been learning.
Peace! Happy Easter.
The one thing in common with the majority of these points of view is that there is a mysterious lack of perspective and Scientific data to truly back up claims and support their viewpoint. Well, I assure you, I have looked into the Scientific literature over a period of a couple of years now and although I'm still working towards a deeper perspective and more refined view of optimal health standards, I am pretty sure I am on the right track. I am always willing to course correct though.
This post will be about some simple guidelines I think we should follow if we want to get variety and easily digestible meals.
Firstly, we must ask ourselves what main "food groups" we should eat from. I'm not talking about the groups in the pyramid yet. I'm starting one level of abstraction higher than that even. I'm talking about the basic 3...Carbohydrates, Fats, and Proteins.
We've all heard of these. Carbohydrates are complex sugars which are sources of fuel for our cells. They constantly get broken down into Glucose (blood sugar) in the bloodstream and used to energize the metabolism of our cells. We all know that it's best to avoid highly refined sources of sugar such as table sugar or drinks which contain many, many spoon fulls of the white crystals such as sodas, energy drinks, and fake "juices."
So where should we get our Carbohydrates? Fruits and Vegetables are a good source. Grains from Granola, Cereals, and Bread are OK sources although shouldn't be relied upon too heavily. Fruits do have a lot of sugar but they are also full of lots of Fiber which buffers the impact of sugar on the body and makes it easier for our body to absorb the sugar without mounting an emergency response and creating a huge spike in Insulin. These insulin spikes are very intense and not healthy for the body. It is best to keep as stable a blood sugar level throughout the day as reasonably possible.
Proteins are obviously important for the building of muscle and cellular machinery but the truth is that there are lots of sources of most Amino Acids besides just meat. A lot of people tend to think of meat as the main source of protein but really there is lots of protein in other foods. Nuts, seeds, fruits...there is often a lot of protein to be found...
It is important that we get all the different kinds of Protein that we need. The different kinds are called Amino Acids. The kinds we need from our diet are called Essential Amino Acids. I won't go into those in detail in this post but I will at a later date. The important thing to keep in mind is that you need a good variety of foods. I don't recommend eating the same thing or same couple of things every meal, for obvious reasons. (although I do recommend keeping each meal as simple as possible...in essence, food combining principles...again, I will get into that at a later date as well)
Now, for the evil Fats. LOL. This is definitely the most hated category. It makes sense due to the fact that this is the category that is most visible to the naked eye when we see someone who is clearly not healthy. Even though excess fat storage on the body is a common sign of bad health, this is not a very good reason to malign the entire food group.
In fact, Fats are extremely important for you Heart, Brain, Nerves, Cell Membranes, Skin, Liver, Blood Vessels, etc! Fats are insulators and in the body they protect our brain and nerves from interference. Fat also divides the inside of the cell from the intracellular fluid. Fat cushions soft, delicate tissues as well and can even do emergency healing in arteries and blood vessels if there is damage to the internal structure of the vessels. This is why arterial plaque (cholesterol) is often found in heart attack patients. But we need to keep in mind that "Correlation does not equal Causation!" Vitamin C deficiency is in fact often cited by many Scientists, including Linus Pauling, as a good predictor of heart disease. Vitamin C is an important Antioxidant that can protect against free radicals which often do the most damage to delicate organs like the heart, blood vessels, brain, and nerves. Fats and Antioxidants protect against this Free Radical damage which we absorb from our food, the environment, and even is produced naturally from metabolism.
What types of fats should we look for in our diet? Which should we avoid? Through my research, the main fats that I have learned to avoid are Hydrogenated oils such as Margarine. I recommend opting instead for real Butter from Cow Dairy.
I also recommend looking for Whole Milk from Grass Fed Cows in a Glass Bottle. The taste will be surprisingly different.
Good sources of Cholesterol are eggs.
Then there are the Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids. These are commonly recognized especially in the last decade or so and, as many know, they are common in Fish and Fish Oil Capsules.
Through my research, I have learned that the Standard American Diet (SAD) which is high in grains and meat and often way too low in fresh fruits and vegetables...is too high in Omega 6 and too low in Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
The recommendation is to move the ratio to a more optimal level where you are taking in more Omega 3 and less Omega 6. A good source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids is Flax Seed. You can add Flax Meal to yogurt, cereal, smoothies, etc. Or you can alternatively take Flax Oil in Capsule form or bulk oil form. A good way to ensure a healthy balance of Omega 3 and 6 is to eat fish at least once or twice per week and limit your grain and meat meals compared to fruit and vegetables.
The main problem with modern, industrialized countries (especially the United States) is that a lot of us go for the quickest meals we can possibly find including microwavable box dinners, quick oven boxed meals, takeout, fast food, quick stovetop meals, etc. Most of these things are not inherently bad but our over-reliance upon them is. When we don't make time to sit down and peel an orange or take a few bananas along with us to work or pack the kids' school lunches with an apple and some peaches...we are setting ourselves up for infections, sickness, tiredness, irritability, headaches, and nutritional deficiencies. The nutritional deficiencies are basically what causes all of the sicknesses. Disease mostly has to do with not eating the right stuff and less to do with eating the bad stuff. (although when we eat more of the good stuff, we usually have less room for the bad stuff...)
Now, for the big picture view of Carbs, Protein, and Fats. I subscribe to the 80/10/10 Diet which recommends about 80% of your Caloric daily intake as Carbs, 10% as Protein, and 10% as Fats.
A lot of people don't realize how much Protein is in nuts and seeds or meat so they inadvertently eat a lot more protein than they probably really needed that day. Same thing with fats. It's so easy to pack a lot more fats (especially the kinds we really should avoid) into our diet if we eat that donut or that cake, or that ice cream, or what have you...
Also, be careful where you are getting your Carbohydrates or Sugars from! If you are getting most of your Calories from Soda, you are doing it all wrong!! We've all done this. I have drank more pop in my lifetime that I can keep track of and it hasn't done me any good! I can guarantee you that! It's a quick fix to fatigue and it doesn't really last all that long anyway. It's not worth it. If you are low on energy, peel open a banana, an orange, bit into an apple, drink some 100% Fruit Juice, juice your own fruit, etc.
Do NOT give into the temptation of going to your local convenience store and filling up the 32oz. cup with your favorite mixture of highly sweetened, carbonated syrup and water! You will only be satiated for a little while and then you will get thirst for some more! This is not a sustainable way to drink/eat...
Also, if you get the urge for a soda, there's a good chance that what your body is truly craving is a big glass of mildly cold water. BTW, it is a great idea to down a quart or two of water early in your morning routine. You may want to consider adding a small amount of salt to it as well in order to prevent having too low of salt in your body.
Anyway, I commend you for making it this far and I hope that I haven't made you fall asleep!
One last recommendation real quick:
Try to eat most of your heavier meals (high in carbs) earlier in the day and have lighter meals in the evening. Try to have more of your fats especially at night. Maybe a nice large salad with olive oil and some tomatoes perhaps for your Supper meal! Also, you can always have a banana anytime!
Bananas are great for any snack and having a three or four of them can even be pretty filling! They are only approximately 110 Calories each and are rich in Fiber, Potassium, and Tryptophan which is a precursor to Melatonin. The Potassium can prevent leg cramping and is an electrolyte which helps rehydrate so athletes and runners often eat bananas quite often.
The reason you should eat more of your Carbs earlier in the day and eat lighter, less energy-dense meals towards the evening is so that digestion is easier and you don't get hopped up with a whole bunch of energy just when your body should be going to sleep!
So, I hope I gave you a taste of what I have been learning.
Peace! Happy Easter.
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