New Year = Hitting the RESET Button

Everyone has been talking about the "end of the world" because the Mayan calendar doesn't go any further than 2012...Honestly, it's just a bunch of hogwash in my book!  Whether it's true or not, there's nothing that we can do about it, right?  So why not have a really good year?  One of the things I really like about New Year's Day is the hopes and possibilities that are before us.  It's a time to meditate on what has worked the past year, what hasn't, what you were able to accomplish, what you weren't and then set some new goals to try to achieve.  Many people have given up on doing this saying that they've never actually achieved any goal they set up for themselves on New Year's Day but I think that's kind of sad...does that mean that those people have also lost the ability to hope and dream?  That's what I think the setting of goals at the beginning of the year reflects - our inner hopes and dreams, the will to TRY to achieve them...so what if you don't succeed, isn't it important that you tried anyway??  In fact, you know what my New Year's Resolution is going to be this year?  I am going to try to set one goal or resolution for myself at the beginning of every month this year!  It's going to be New Year's Day on the first of every month and I'll have the entire month to work toward that goal!  I don't care if I complete the goal or not because I like having things to challenge me, things to look forward to and if I can accomplish only half of those twelve goals, I think that's pretty darn good, don't you?  So, anyone else going to join me on this goal-setting journey?

Happy New Year's Day 2012!!  Be safe, be happy, be healthy, and make it a great year for yourself and your families!

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Brown Rice vs. White Rice

So someone was making a joke the other day about a Mexican restaurant that specializes in extra large burritos offering the choice between brown or white rice - "WOW! Those 15 calories I'll save by choosing the brown rice will really make a difference in losing weight!! Ha ha ha ha..." (BTW, he was wrong about the calorie difference - just saying :-D )

The truth is that the difference in calories is negligible in these choices - brown or white.  What IS important is another couple of things (I think they're more important than the actual calories): Glycemic Load and Nutrient Density!  


Some definitions first:
1) Glycemic load (in conjunction with the glycemic index) is basically the effect of the carbohydrate on blood glucose or blood sugar (how fast and how much it gets raised) and has been used for a number of years to help diabetics control their blood sugar.  The higher the number, the higher the effect=spike in blood glucose which would trigger insulin release, etc.  The best idea is to maintain a fairly leveled blood glucose amount to prevent problems.  Anything higher than say 20 is considered HIGH and anything with a 10 or less is considered LOW.

2) Nutrient density is pretty self-explanatory but just in case... it's the most nutrients you can get for the least amount of calories.  Comparing a Hershey chocolate bar to an apple - the apple is more nutrient dense because it has more vitamins and fiber than the Hershey bar per calorie.

Now back to the brown rice vs. white rice...

In case you don't know, it's all rice, right?  The difference is the brown rice still has its bran and germ (the nutritious and fibrous parts).  The white rice has been processed and the bran & germ has been removed to make it faster to cook.  Yeah, that's the thing - it's faster to cook, meaning it's also faster to digest and you'll be hungry sooner.

A side by side comparison shows us the following (per the USDA Nutrition website):
1 cup of brown rice = 218 kCalories; 4.52g of protein; 3.5g of fiber; 20mg Calcium; 1.03mg Iron
1 cup of white rice =   169 kCalories; 3.51g of protein; 1.7g of fiber;   3mg Calcium;  .24mg Iron
        White rice has 49 kCalories less than brown rice but look at how much less of the nutrients too!

And what's the glycemic load on them? According to the "Death to Diabetes" website:

1 cup white rice (boiled): Glycemic index of 64, with a glycemic load of 23

1 cup Brown rice (boiled): Glycemic index of 55, with a glycemic load of 18

So, while calories (intake and usage) are important, it's also important to not overlook the nutrients and the effect certain things might have on our bodies' glucose levels.  Too many glucose blood level spikes aren't good, so choose smarter.

(For more information on white rice vs. brown rice, read the article on Livestrong.com!)



All information on this blog is my own pursuit of information on the road to getting my BS in Nutrition Science and as a mode of studying. 

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RECIPE - Sweet Twist Roasted Root Veggies

Roasted root vegetables with a sweet twist!  This was really good!  Hope you guys like it!

Ingredients
1 turnip, diced
3-4 small beets (various types if possible), sliced
5-6 fingerling (or new) potatoes, cubed
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
2 tbsp frozen pomegranate seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vegan butter
2 tbsp cashew butter
1/4 cup red wine
1 tbsp Braggs aminos
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 400F
2) Toss the turnip, beets, potatoes, and onion slices into a small casserole
3) In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and vegan butter over medium heat; toss in the minced garlic.
4) Add the cashews, rosemary, parsley, & salt.  Brown the cashews.
5) Add red wine, Braggs & pomegranate seeds; stir to combine, lower heat to low.
6) Add cashew butter and stir to melt through;remove from heat and pour over root veggies
7) Roast uncovered in oven for about 30-40 minutes.

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Most of Humanity isn't Humane...

Toward animals but, most importantly, toward other humans.  There are people who believe they are good-hearted and humanitarians but are they?  Are you? Am I?  Honestly, not always and that shames me.  I mean, really think about it.  I've been watching and listening to people; it's a bit depressing.  Let's take a hypothetical example.  Let's say there's a person in your circle of friends that found out that they will be very sick in a few years so instead of taking a load of pills for the rest of their life they decide to change their lifestyle.  They change their eating habits and change their activities and it's working really well for them and their health.  They look healthier, have more energy, and are finding other friends who share their fervor for a particular exercise activity. Would you put this person down for doing this?  No, probably not, at least not out loud.  But, would you constantly be telling them that they should "slow down" or constantly ask "why do you have to exercise three times a week? I'm sure once a week would be fine.".  How about showing up at a potluck that you know they're going to be at and bringing the one dish you know they have a difficult time resisting then saying to everyone else "mmm, so-and-so can't eat this anymore but that doesn't mean you & I can't, right? Ha ha ha!"  Have you seen or heard any of this or anything similar?  Why do people do this?  It's like no one can stand to see anyone succeed unless they're successful too!  So is it the mentality of "well, I'm fat as a cow and I'll be damned if so-and-so gets skinny and healthy"?  I don't know but I hate witnessing this sort of thing, hate it even more when I'm on the receiving end of it.  "Oh, sorry, I forgot you're vegan and can't have this nonvegan mocha chocolate cake that I made for your birthday!"  Grrrr, really??

Or, how about helping other humans?  When was the last time you drove past someone whose car stalled in the middle of the road?  Maybe a woman with a couple of kids in the car trying frantically to call someone to help her on her cell phone and causing a traffic jam?  Did you drive angrily past her?  Did you slow down for a moment and ask yourself if you should stop to offer to help her move her car to the side of the road?  What do you think our forefathers a few decades ago would've done?  I know that my grandfather would've stopped on the side of the road and helped her when he was able to do so.  When was the last time you stopped and asked a homeless person if they'd like a bag of groceries and then gave them a bag of nonperishable food just because you could?

So, the next time you feel the need to be passive-aggressive about a friend's positive progression or you think someone else is going to help the person that needs help, think about it...why not ask your friend to help you get on the same track...why can't you be THAT person that helps the helpless...

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Life and Health Aren't Separate Entities!

So, I watched two documentaries last night that were uplifting but also frustrating.  The first was "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" (a Joe Cross film) the other was, finally, "Forks Over Knives".  The movie that frustrated me the most was "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" (see the official movie website for a synopsis).  It frustrated me to see people that were quite obviously in need of a diet change to be healthier but instead of giving whole plant foods a chance to work their miracles, they went on the defense about how they "don't eat to live, but live to eat" and how everyone will die someday and why not die happy by eating what they want.  Uh-huh...okay, here's a scenario for those people - my grandfather had that same exact attitude, he also had type 2 diabetes. He refused to take medication and refused to change his eating habits...he lost BOTH his legs to foot gangrene and the end of his life was spent in a hospital bed!  Yeah, that's definitely the way to live, isn't it?

So, for giggles (that's sarcasm, by-the-way), let's say that you eat what you love to eat (or at least what you've been tricked into loving to eat, thanks to excitotoxins).  You take all the dozen or so meds that you will eventually need to keep up with your lifestyle.  Your energy levels keep dropping while your weight keeps increasing so that when those grandkids come over you have no energy to do much more than sit in your recliner and watch T.V. with them.  Then one day, you wake up in the morning and you have a funny pain across your chest, down your left arm and up into your jaw - it hurts so much that you feel like you can't breath.  You call 911 and off you go to the hospital where they tell you that you've just had a heart attack then the news that you need bypass surgery.  Fast forward a few weeks and now you're home, back to eating what you want because no one is going to tell you what you can or can't eat, right?  A month later, you're at the breakfast table and, yep, another heart attack! You reach for the aspirin and call 911 - again.  This time the doctor tells you that you need a triple bypass and if you don't change your diet you might not survive the next one.  You still dig your heels in and keep eating.  A few months later, you get a funny tingly feeling on the left side of your head and your left arm, then when you stand up your left leg gives out and you fall.  Now, you've had a stroke, according to the ER doctor. You can understand him but when you try to speak, nothing comes out.  You're whole left side is numb and your brain feels foggy and slow.  So now your life is spent trying to get over the stroke.  Wonder how you would rate your quality of life at this point??

I'm not saying that these things are 100% avoidable with a better diet but why would you step in the path of a cannonball (unless you work for the circus)?  The studies have said so much about how things are more preventable than what people think...why do people prefer to continue to suffer?  Oh and another good one is the excuse that "if this is what God has planned for me, so be it".  Hello?!? Did God come down and force you to eat those greasy hamburgers??  No, but have you ever heard of free will?? Also, if you're going to use the God argument, my response to it is "God only helps those that help themselves"!

So, live to eat?  Is being confined to a hospital bed for the last 5-10 years of your life considered really living, especially if there had been a chance to avoid it?  I don't think so.  I want to be like Fauja Singh and running a marathon at the age of 100! Go veg!

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Humming While You Work...or Play...or Drive...

I just learned something brilliantly interesting!!  Did you know that when we hum that the gas exchange in our sinuses increases?!?  The gas exchange with normal breathing is only about 4% but when we hum...oh boy!! It goes up to about 98%!!  You may be wondering why this is important so I'm going to tell you a little bit about the importance but if you want to read more details about it, read this article published by an anesthesiologist http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/content/166/2/144.full.

So, nitric oxide - that's what our sinuses produce - is a major player in helping to dilate capillaries and increase blood flow.  Sounds important, right? Yep, pretty darn important if you like living and all that :-D  Anyway, researchers have measured nitric oxide levels in people humming and not humming and guess what?  The hummers (ahem, yes that was on purpose) had about 15 times higher levels of nitric oxide than their boring counterparts! FIFTEEN TIMES HIGHER!!  Holy smokes, Batman, that's a big difference!

Do you know what all this also means? Those of us who tend to suffer with chronic sinusitis, this might be really good news as a way to prevent flare-ups!  Increasing the sinus ventilation while humming would help prevent blockages, etc. and it's so much easier to hum a song than to do those cumbersome nasal irrigations, right? Plus, think of all the places you can start humming your favorite song and if anyone says anything, tell them to shove off because you're increasing your gas exchange and they're in your air!!

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Vegan Food Lacks Flavor?!?!

What?!? Are you flippin' kidding??  Yeah, I've heard the "oh, I'm sorry, it must be really boring" response to the announcement that I eat a vegan diet.  I was just talking about this with one of my daughters today as we sat down to eat a late lunch at the Loving Hut.  Why do meat-eaters assume that vegan food is bland or boring?  Their assumption is really kind of stupid and ignorant, don't you think? Predisposed to thinking that everything outside the realm of meat is sub par.  But, really, we use all the same seasonings and flavors (mostly), I explained to my daughter.  That's when she surprised me by suggesting to these naysayers to eat a piece of meat prepared simply in the oven and without any seasonings whatsoever and then point out that that's the only flavor that's missing from a vegan diet!  Cool!  Who should we test this out on first???  :-D

Vegan eating is not bland and, in fact, we are constantly looking for fresh, new ways to prepare our food or to add something different.  If anything, I'd say it's the complete opposite of bland, it's...it's...heck, I can't even think of the word that would describe it fully...scrumptious? satisfying? flavorful?  Well, whatever the word is, I find myself truly enjoying the different tastes and discovering different ways to make my food :-D

Here's how boring it is...check out the "Walking the Vegan Line" blog post about her French Yule Log recipe...you'll go into a chocolate coma just reading the recipe!! http://walkingtheveganline.blogspot.com/2008/12/daring-bakers-challenge-french-yule-log.html

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Iron Absorption for Vegetarians

Iron. Are you getting enough iron as a vegan or vegetarian? Heme iron (derived from red meats)  technically has a larger percentage of absorption in our systems (about 15%-35%) but since that's not an option for us, we tend to take in non-heme iron (derived from plant sources).  The absorption percentage is lower at about 2%-20%. And, did you know that tannins in tea can decrease your iron absorption? So will calcium and some proteins found in soybeans!  So what can we do?

Eating foods that are also vitamin C rich at the same time as iron-rich foods will improve the absorption rate.  Cooking foods in iron cookware is also a good idea and, if you're prone to iron deficiency, taking a iron supplement might be an option but make sure you check with your doctor first (now there are some mild supplements that don't have the horrible intestinal side effects of their predecessors).  If you want to learn more, go to the National Institute of Health's webpage at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron

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*Steps on Soap Box*

Drugs. Drugs. Drugs. Drugs.  You take them. I take them (though I keep them to a minimum, hence my vegan lifestyle). Everyone's taking them, right?  The FDA says they're okay or they wouldn't be on the market, right? Doctors prescribe them left and right so that must mean they're safe, right?  W.R.O.N.G.!!  Safe is such a tricky word.  Most medical schools do not require pharmacology as a graduation requirement so if you want real, knowledgeable answers about the drugs prescribed by your friendly doctor or the evil Dr. Oh-you-mean-if-I-write-100-prescriptions-for-your-drug-you'll-send-me-to-Jamaica-for-a-drug-conference-wink-wink you should talk to your pharmacist or a bio-chemist.  Sigh.

Drug pushers or as they're really known, pharmaceutical sales associates...did you know that my physician assistant that I see had applied for a job with one of the big pharma companies as a sales associate when she was in school but they turned her down because they were looking for people who had NO medical background??  Hmmm, wonder why they'd want that...doesn't it make you just a bit uncomfortable to know that they're looking for people to "sell" their product who won't really know any better than what they're told to say?  Yeah, not making my insides all warm and cozy, in fact, it makes me feel like there's a snake slithering up my back every time I see one of those go into my doctor's office.  So why do people not even QUESTION the health validity of these prescriptions?

Here's a pill for your blood pressure, one for your cholesterol, one for your acid reflux, one for your blood sugar, one for your kidneys, one for your gall bladder, one for your thyroid, one to make you happy, one to give you energy, one to help you sleep, one to calm you down (after the energy one of course), one to make you less hungry... REALLY? This is where we're headed as humans if we don't learn to put a stop to it all! FOOD - the first drug we ever put into our bodies - regulate that, and the rest may well fall into place!
As my husband said to me this week after I went off about two people looking for the quick fixes for two different problems: "humans are inherently lazy".  Period.  He's right too. But, aren't we better than that?  Isn't that one of the things that sets us apart from the other animals, the ability to make choices and overcome our instinctive natures?  It just seems that more and more people around me keep looking for the easy way or the quick-fix and it angers me and saddens me to see these people go down that rabbit hole.  Once you start giving in to the quick-fix, then, like the druggie on the corner, you're constantly looking for the next quick-fix, probably to fix the side effects of the first quick-fix...and so on... and so on... and so on...

Let's take ADHD for example.  ADHD is the new tonsil fad and it just seems to keep going.  When I was a kid growing up, everyone seemed to be getting their tonsils removed - "oh, Joey has a sore throat - off with his tonsils!".  Later, the medical community realized that they'd made a boo-boo in getting all happy hacksaw... one that lowered the immunity functions of a lot of my peers (because that's part of the tonsils' job).  I say my peers because, luckily, I had a brilliant doctor who said "her tonsils are fine and she doesn't need to go through that bullshit surgery", or something like that.  He was German so I'm sure it's a very close quote :-D  Anyway, enter the 1990's and a bright new beginning of diagnosing ADHD for every child that was/is a little more rambunctious than the "normal" kids, the child that gets bored too easily...oh, and let's allow teachers who are overworked, underpaid and just plain tired to advise parents to get their children tested for ADHD.  Then, let's have a regular pediatrician or general practitioner diagnose them and hand out pretty little pills, that may or may not work and that may have the child going from one zombie stage to another in search of the right "prescription".  Let's not even talk about the mess that this child's kidneys, liver, stomach, and intestines are going to be in in about 20 years of taking their ADHD medications plus anything else they decide to prescribe to him/her in that time, right?  The parents get told their kid has ADHD and BAM, the doctor must be right because they have that nice, shiny degree that says they finished medical school and their residency - they must have my child's health and well-being as a priority... Uh-huh.  Let's face it.  There's so much on top of these doctors as it is, we can't truly expect them to know everything or to even consider all the alternatives.  That's why I think that people should take the time to learn all there is to know first and foremost before saying "yep, sign me up with the drugs...let's speed up those side effects"!  Here's a few ideas: Change the kid's diet to more fruit and vegetables (nix the McDonald's and Doritos), focusing on feeding them foods that DON'T have excitotoxins (see book Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills by Russell Blaylock).  Get them to exercise but something almost meditative, such as martial arts.  There are alternatives - you just have to try them out...and they are far less dangerous than any pill that child could take!

Unless it's a live or die situation, I tend to wait and try alternative methods for everything before I decide to take the meds and even then, I research the meds to learn about what minerals they'll deplete from my body, what interactions they'll have with the foods I eat and other meds, etc.  That's what I do.  Yes, it would've been easy to have accepted the statin prescription for my cholesterol earlier this year but I chose to change my lifestyle instead and in doing so, dropped my cholesterol levels (to all my doctors' amazement).  I feel better for it too!

So, don't give in to your instincts people...don't be lazy about your health! Research and talk with experts.  Find out what's going to work for you.  No pill can cure diabetes or high cholesterol or heart disease, but you can send those diseases packing with changing your lifestyle!

*Steps off Soapbox*


NOTE: These are all just my opinions and should not be considered medical advice.

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The Good, The Bad and The...Carbs!

Carbohydrates!  Did you flinch?  Hide?  It seems these days that little word (okay, it's a pretty long word) sends fear into so many people and has prompted so many arguments within and without the medical community.  You have fitness gurus, nutrition store workers, chiropractors, medical doctors, and all kinds of people making claims to "stay away" from those bad, awful, belly-bulging carbs, right?  Are they right or just inappropriately generalizing?  I think those people are taking the good of carbohydrates, ignoring them, and lumping them in with the bad.

Carbohydrates are NEEDED by our bodies.  Here's an idea - ask a dietitian or nutritionist (or anyone that spent longer than one semester learning about nutrition - not counting online researching).  Everything in excess becomes a toxin or a bad thing for us.  Too much protein can cause havoc in your stomach, your liver, etc. and lead to so many other issues.   The fact is that most people don't reach for the legumes when they're told to increase their protein and limit their carbs.  Nope, they go straight to the fatty animal proteins, with their cholesterol and saturated fats. Yep, that's so healthier, right?  Forget that bologna if you're trying to lose weight (no, really, bologna is mega bad for you on so many levels)...it's a basic equation to lose weight: More calories out than calories in. PERIOD.

As for thy mortal enemy "The Carbs", the ones we really need to stay away from as much as possible are the overly-processed sorts:  white sugars, white breads, white rice, etc.  (notice a "white" theme here?)  What those folks don't mention is that lettuce is a carb but have you ever seen an obese wild rabbit?? Ya, I didn't think so.  I don't think that even most people know exactly what a carbohydrate is...do you?

First of all, carbohydrates (carbo=carbon, hydrate=with water) are compounds composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen arranged as monosaccharides or multiples of monosaccharides (mono=one saccharide=sugar; they follow a general formula of C6H12O6 & form a single ring).  Did I lose you? Basically, a monosaccharide is the smallest form of sugar.  Now, there are two categories of carbohydrates: simple and complex.  You've probably heard people talk about "simple sugars" or "complex carbohydrates" but, really, what's the difference?  They are either simple or complex :-D  Okay, simple carbs are either monosaccharides or disaccharides and are easy for the body to access or store for immediate energy.

The most important of the simple carbohydrates are:
     -Monosaccharides
        1) Glucose
        2) Fructose
        3) Galactose

     -Disaccharides (pairs of monosaccharides)
        1) Maltose (glucose + glucose)
        2) Sucrose (glucose + fructose)
        3) Lactose (glucose + galactose)

The complex carbohydrates contain many glucose units, including sometimes other monosaccharides.  These are all strung together to form polysaccharides (poly=many).  There's another word in this category - oligosaccharide (oligo=few), which has less units than polysaccharides but more than the simple carbohydrates.

So, why are carbohydrates so darn important?  They're important because, eventually, all these carbohydrates, simple or complex, get turned into their basic forms - glucose or glycogen.  (Glycogen is what our bodies store extra glucose into that isn't immediately needed/used.)  These two basic carbohydrates provide about half of all the energy that our muscles (and other body tissues) use to function.  The other half is provided mostly by stored fat.  Glucose is the "food" preferred by our brain cells and nerve cells to function efficiently.  Also, it's super important for muscle function (which helps when we exercise).

But there are carbohydrates we should try to avoid most of the time and ones we shouldn't, especially if you're looking to lose weight.  It's a matter of making the right choices most of the time.  Sometimes it's difficult to choose between a slice of chocolate fudge cake and a bowl of fresh fruit for dessert...it's difficult to choose carrots over pretzels...trust me, I know!  And, sometimes, you just have to go for that piece of cake and that's okay too but remember that those are "empty" calories (foods that deliver energy but little or no protein, vitamins or minerals) and that there are healthier, more nutrient rich carbohydrates out there.  It's all back to choosing one's calories wisely and trying to go more toward nutrient-dense foods (e.g. a candy bar at 92 calories versus a bowl of soup at 90 calories).

Let's stop with giving carbohydrates such a bad reputation!  They are our fuel and some of them pack a mighty nutrient punch too!  Embrace the carbs!

Oh and this topic isn't over yet...look for my next entry about what happens to your body on a low dietary carb diet!

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Think E-N-E-R-G-Y Instead of Calories

Those two words are pretty synonymous because calories and energy are pretty much the same thing.  The correct term is kilocalories (or kcalories for short). For those who remember from school, a kilo is equal to a 1000 increment of metric measurement, in this case it's calories.  So, it is a measurement in 1000-calorie metric units for the energy released/produced from carbohydrates, fats (lipids), and proteins. Basically, it measures heat energy.

Now, let's make it more complicated and talk about the International System of Units (known as the SI).  Well, obviously, these are used worldwide in the scientific communities. Even though calories or kcalories is the most common measurements of food energy, the SI uses joules or kilojoules instead.  I know, I know...some of you might be thinking "Hey, wait a minute! A joule is a measurement of work done!"  Guess what? You're right, it is. So there's a formula (of course there is).  The work energy formula goes like this:

1 joule = 

the movement of 1 kilo,

a distance of 1 meter,

by the force of 1 newton

Get it?  I've got the gist of it, which is what matters.  A little easier is to convert from kcalories to kilojoules and that formula is to just multiply the kcalories by 4.2 to arrive at the kilojoules (kj). Now that that's out of the way, on to more interesting things to do with food energy!

Energy from Foods (aka calories).  

This is oh-so dependent on how much carbohydrates, fats, and proteins a food contains.  But not all of these are the same either!

To calculate how many calories a particular food has, you have to know the baseline caloric breakdown for these nutrients.  

       1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 kcalories of energy

       1 gram of proteins          = 4 kcalories of energy

       1 gram of fat                  = 9 kcalories of energy

       1 gram of alcohol           = 7 kcalories of energy

Now, you probably will never have to do this calculation because most product manufacturers and plenty of weight control books/websites offer the breakdown for you but just so I get it down... the formulas to calculate a food's available energy:

  Total carbohydrate grams X 4 (kcalories)= available energy

  Total protein grams X 4 (kcalories)         = available energy

  Total fat grams X 9 (kcalories                 = available energy

  Total alcohol grams X 7 (kcalories)         = available energy

    -Next, add all the available energy and you have your total.

Now, this calculation might come in handy as it helps to gauge the energy density of a food. This is NOT the same as the nutrient density which I previously discussed. Nope, this has to do with the potential energy of that food.  Which means that if you were trying to lose weight, you'd want this density number to be low and not high.  Remember, lower for losing, okay?  So to calculate this, take the total kcalories and divide it by the total grams...

   Total kcalories  /  total grams    = kcalories per gram

And, to calculate the percentage (%) of kcalories of the separate nutrients:

Nutrient's Available kcalories / Total kcalories of food =  %

So, for example... say the total calories for a food (that's all it's nutrients' calories added together) is 173 kcalories and you want to know how much of that food's kcalories is derived from fat.  You know that the fat's available kcalories for the food is 81, so you divide 81 by 173. That gives you .468, and flashback to school again, you multiply that number by 100 to get a percentage (or do the fancy decimal point move thing) which makes it (with rounding) 47%.  That means that the food derives 47% of it's energy/kcalories from fat!  That's a lot.  One should strive to limit fat intake to 20-35% of the DAILY kcalorie intake.

Now think about all these calculations and how many times we refer to the word energy.  These kcalories/calories are basically potential energy - nothing more, nothing less.  Think of this energy as money you deposit into your checking account at the beginning of the month.  Then you pay your rent/mortgage, utilities, and other bills, you meter out spending money and then you (hopefully) take what's left and put it in savings.  The bill paying is your daily calorie burn.  Savings is the fat storage located all over our bodies.  The fat "savings" is there for a "rainy day" and, just like your savings account, if you never draw money for those fabulous exotic vacations and just keep adding, that account grows larger and larger because, just like the bank, our bodies aren't going to say "Whoa, there partner, you're saving way too much so we're going to have to throw away some of this".  Nope, as much as we'd like our bodies to reach a maximum weight savings, it's not going to happen.  But, it is our responsibility (for health reasons alone) to make sure we are properly taking in energy amounts that our bodies can use to function properly without throwing the extras into "savings".  Hmmm, maybe I should've compared energy intake and output as paying the right amount of income taxes so that you neither have to pay anything in April nor receive a refund...oh well, you get the idea!

I'm going to end this section here - hopefully you weren't too bored with all the math in this post :-D 


All information on this blog is my own pursuit of information on the road to getting my BS in Nutrition Science and as a mode of studying. Most information and data was taken from my textbook "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition" by Rolfes, Pinna, & Whitney, ISBN-13: 978-0-495-55646-6

Happy October!

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Nutrients

You've heard the word or at least seen it - nutrient.  What is it exactly?  Obviously, it has something to do with nutrition - right.  Nutrients are, basically, chemicals derived from food that our bodies use for energy, structural materials (bone, etc.), and regulating agents for growth, maintenance, and tissue repair.  Hmm, pretty important stuff those darn nutrients.  Nutrients are broken down into various categories, depending on what is being discussed:

• Macronutrients are those nutrients that our bodies need in large amounts such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins (macro=large);
• Micronutrients are the nutrients that our bodies need in smaller portions such as vitamins and minerals (micro=small);
• Essential nutrients are nutrients (chemicals) that we require from outside our bodies.  In other words, our bodies can't produce them or we produce them in too small quantities to meet physiological needs -- there are approximately 40 essential nutrients, by-the-way;
• Organic nutrients - no, not like organic produce but it relates to the nutrients that contain at least 1 carbon molecule.  These are the vitamins of which there are 13.
• Inorganic nutrients are nutrients that do not contain any carbon molecule.  These are the minerals and there are only 16 of them that are known to be essential in human nutrition.

Now that we have all of that cleared up, I'd like to discuss these nutrients :D  You knew that was coming, right?  Right.

There are six classes of nutrients required by our bodies.  They are:

1. Carbohydrates - macronutrient; provides energy; organic
2. Lipids (aka fats) - macronutrient; provides energy; organic
3. Proteins - macronutrient; provides energy; organic
4. Vitamins - micronutrient; organic
5. Minerals - micronutrient; inorganic
6. Water - inorganic

 NOTE: There are other compounds in foods that our bodies utilize (fibers, phytochemicals, etc.) but these are not considered nutrients...just wanted to clarify that.


Macronutrients. When the body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for energy or fuel, the bonds between the nutrient's atoms break and releases the energy into our bodies.  Some of the energy is released as either heat or it's used to send electrical impulses (messages), to synthesize body compounds, and to move muscles.  If either of these macronutrients is not used up in the body, what do you think happens?  Yep, it gets stored in the body for some day in the future when the intake is inadequate or during the night while you sleep or even for in-between meals.  Speaking of which, your body continues to use energy (your brain especially) while you sleep therefore depleting stored reserves and helping you to lose weight - that's why it's so important to get enough hours of sleep if you're trying to lose weight!  And, did you know that our brains (since we've sidetracked a bit about that fine organ) use glucose for fuel and that our bodies produce that from the carbohydrates we eat?  The only animal product that has enough carbohydrates for this are dairy products...take that, Atkins dieters. Click here to learn more.  These same macronutrients (carbs, protein, & fats), also provide the foundational materials to build tissues and regulate many of the body's activities/functions. (FYI - Protein is NOT a major energy provider but is more of a structural building block. It also helps to regulate digestion and metabolize energy.)
 
Vitamins. Obviously, vitamins don't directly provide energy to the body but they do play their part. These little (micronutrients) powerhouses help the macronutrients release their energy and they do a bunch of other things throughout the body too.  Each of the 13 vitamins has a starring role in the body because almost every action in the body requires the help of vitamins.  Also good to know - vitamins can only function properly if they are intact.  Their molecular organic complexity makes them vulnerable to being destroyed by heat, light, and chemical agents!  This is why steaming veggies for a very short time (or eating them raw) is a preferred and healthier method of preparation.  Just for fun, here are the 13 vitamins: 

1. Vitamin C (water soluble);
2. Eight (8) B vitamins (water soluble) - thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, folate, biotin, and pantothenic acid;
3. Vitamin A, D, E, & K (fat soluble).

 Minerals. These also don't fuel the body's energy needs but they are important to the body's structures.  There are only 16 known essential minerals in human nutrition, even though they are studying others to figure out if they have a significant function.  Being inorganic, minerals are pretty much indestructible but they can bind to other substances that might get in the way of the body being able to absorb them.  They can also be lost during food-refining processes or when cooking because they seep into the preparation water that is thrown out. Major minerals are equivalent to macronutrients in that they are needed in large amounts and trace minerals are needed in smaller amounts.

1. The major minerals are: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, & sulfate.  For more information on the major minerals, go here.
2. The trace minerals are: iron, iodine, zinc, chromium, selenium, fluoride, molybdenum, copper, & manganese.  To learn more about trace minerals, go here.

 Water.  Everyone has heard of how important water is to the proper function of our bodies, right?  It must be really important if a 150lb body contains about 90lbs of water! It's used in metabolic reactions, helps transport vital materials to cells, helps carry away cell waste products...it's really important.  We can go (on average if we're healthy) about 8 weeks without food but we can die in a matter of hours without water.  

So, drink your water and make sure you're getting all of your nutrients!

All information on this blog is my own pursuit of information on the road to getting my BS in Nutrition Science and as a mode of studying. Most information and data was taken from my textbook "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition" by Rolfes, Pinna, & Whitney, ISBN-13: 978-0-495-55646-6

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Health Claims on Food Labels (in USA)

Did you know that up until 2003, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) would make food manufacturers show significant scientific evidence of any health claim they wanted to put onto their product labels?  Yes, I said "up until 2003" because after that, things got stupid and crazy.  Once again we get to see evidence that these manufacturers, those with the "deep pockets", get to play havoc with the public's psyche.

Before 2003, if a food label read "Diets low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure" we would have known that this couldn't have been published on the label without having enough scientific evidence to back it up - the FDA wouldn't have allowed it. Back then, if there was a claim on something, it came with scientific baggage.

Okay, let's get clear first on what exactly is a "health claim".  According to the FDA, a health claim is: "any claim made on the label or in labeling of a food, including a dietary supplement, that expressly or by implication, including “third party” references, written statements (e.g., a brand name including a term such as “heart”), symbols (e.g., a heart symbol), or vignettes, characterizes the relationship of any substance to a disease or health-related condition. Implied health claims include those statements, symbols, vignettes, or other forms of communication that suggest, within the context in which they are presented, that a relationship exists between the presence or level of a substance in the food and a disease or health-related condition (see 21 CFR 101.14(a)(1)).
Further, health claims are limited to claims about disease risk reduction, and cannot be claims about the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, or treatment of disease. Health claims are required to be reviewed and evaluated by FDA prior to use. An example of an authorized health claim, is: 'Three grams of soluble fiber from oatmeal daily in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. This cereal has 2 grams per serving.'"


Yes, well...it all started with supplements and then the GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association) decided that they didn't want to be left out in the cold so they challenged the FDA saying that if they didn't get the same treatment that was allotted to the supplements industry in the Pearson ruling that they would also take the FDA to court.  The gist of the argument was that the GMA should be allowed to inform their consumers of possible benefits.  The court ruling read, "Holding only the highest scientific standard for claims interferes with commercial free speech".

In order to accomplish this, while still letting the public know what their stance was on the particular health claim, there was devised a plan...a letter grading policy.  Have you heard about it?  I hadn't until recently because, basically, if I saw a product that read "...has been shown to lower cholesterol", I was assuming it had been scientifically proven and okayed by the FDA.  As far as I can tell, there's no actual letter grade printed on packages but it's the way a claim is worded that's supposed to tell us what the grading is. Uh...what?

Do you know what the grading policy is exactly? Here's an ABC/Health News article from that time that excitedly shares the information and cites a lot of experts that were excited for the change and those that were not. I have to side with the "were not" ones, especially when they said that consumers wouldn't pay attention to the letter grades but just the health claim. Really?  You think??  Let's face it, as human nature goes, we're far too busy to read the nutrition label AND follow up on the health claim grade too, right?

In case you do want to know but only want the highlights, the grading policy goes like this:
Grade A: High: Significant scientific agreement - no disclaimer needed.
Grade B: Moderate: Evidence is supportive but not conclusive - must have this statement after the health claim: "Although there is scientific evidence supporting this claim, the evidence is not conclusive."
Grade C: Low: Evidence is limited & not conclusive - must contain this statement: "Some scientific evidence suggests [enter health claim here]. However, FDA has determined that this evidence is limited and not conclusive."
Grade D: Very low: Little scientific evidence supporting this claim - must have this statement: "Very limited and preliminary scientific research suggests [enter health claim here].  FDA concludes that there is little scientific evidence supporting this claim."

Okay, so I just checked out my box of Kashi Lean cereal and snapped a picture of their health claim:

So it says "25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease."  There's none of those other disclaimers on there so we can assume that this health claim has an "A" grade, meaning there's "significant scientific agreement" to their claim! Whew! That's good to know, 'cause I just had some for a snack :-D   I was looking for a different claim but couldn't find any in my pantry - guess that's what I get for buying healthy foods.

Besides these "health claims" on packages, there are other claims that are completely different categories - nutrient claims and structure-function claims.


Nutrient claims are those phrases like "good source of fiber" or "rich in calcium" or "low in sodium" because they single out a particular nutrient to focus on for marketing purposes (of course).  It works though, doesn't it?  If you know that eating more fiber helps you lose weight and lower your risk for heart disease, when you see that tag "good source of fiber" or "high in fiber", you'll be tempted to grab it, won't you? Still, these have to meet FDA definitions, and let me tell you that there are A LOT of definition guidelines for these claims!  Let's take my fiber example - "good source of fiber"...in order to claim that on the package the product must provide between 10% - 19% of the Daily Value for fiber, per serving.   But change the claim to "high in fiber" and then the product needs to be 20% or more of the Daily Value for fiber per serving (this goes for the words "rich in" and "excellent source" interchangeably).  Ya, words - who knew that just changing the words "good source" to "high" would mean a difference in the amounts of a particular nutrient?  Oh, and just so you know, the words "fat-free" aren't 100% true -- something can say that it's "fat-free" and still contain up to .5grams of fat per serving...eat 5 servings and that's 2.5 grams of fat...not that it's all that much, but fat is fat, is fat... If you want more information on the wordings and what you're really getting, you can go to the FDA labeling website by clicking here.

Structure-function claims are the most unusual of the lot - hold on to your hats for this one -- they can be made WITHOUT any FDA approval!  These claims can be made WITHOUT any proof - none, zip, nada!   The only requirement is that the claim cannot mention a disease.  Look at the following statements:
A) "May reduce the risk of heart disease."
B) "Promotes a healthy heart."
Statement (A) is definitely a health claim whereas statement (B) is a structure-function claim - can you tell the difference?  If you saw statement (B) on a box of cereal, would your thought be "This might prevent me from having a heart attack - I think I'll buy it"?  Or would it be "Huh, there's no actual health claim here maybe I should look for a cereal that does have an actual heart disease prevention health claim"?  Honestly, consumers don't usually know that there's a difference.  I sure as heck didn't know.  Here's the link to the FDA's information on structure-function claims if you want more information.

So, now that I've shared all of this information with you, what are you going to do with it?  I hope you share it with those who are close to you.  There's more to reading labels than just reading the nutrition panel and, as much as I hate to think about it this way, there are big, money-making food manufacturers out there to make even more money and to trick you into buying their products by using the laws to their advantage.  Make an effort to beat them at their game by getting educated on what it is you're putting into your body because food, whether you want to think of it that way or not, is a chemical - and there are bad chemicals and there are good chemicals (there are some that are the Switzerland of chemicals but that's another story) so fuel your body with "premium unleaded" food instead of "regular" almost-food products.



Hahaha!  Here's MY disclaimer now:
All information on this blog is my own pursuit of information on the road to getting my BS in Nutrition Science and as a mode of studying.  Most information and data was taken from my textbook "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition" by Rolfes, Pinna, & Whitney, ISBN-13: 978-0-495-55646-6

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RECIPE - Dark chocolate pudding!!

Oh ya, and it's VEGAN!!

Serves: 4

TOOLS NEEDED:
- A small, seal-able container for 1/4cup of liquid.
- Dessert dishes (4)


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup evaporated cane juice sugar
1/2 cup baking dark cocoa (powder & preferably organic)
1 tbsp non-GMO cornstarch (or use arrowroot instead)
1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (you can use soy or vanilla flavored but that will change the nutrition information)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk the sugar, cocoa, and 1 1/4 cups almond milk.
2. While mixture is warming, add the cornstarch and 1/4 almond milk into the small, seal-able container; shake until well blended. Set aside.
3. When the sugar, cocoa, milk mixture is simmering, open cornstarch container carefully (slowly) whisk the mixture into the saucepan.  If you do it too quickly, you will get clumps of chocolatey cornstarch (which isn't really all that bad but it won't be smooth).
4. Continue whisking until mixture starts to thicken; remove from heat and pour immediately into dessert dishes.  Let them cool before covering with plastic wrap then store them in the fridge.
Enjoy!!

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Motivational & Self-Help for Everything!

I am about to push...er, recommend a book to the universe (or at least anyone who reads this blog :D ) but, before I do that, I've got to do a build-up first or this might be a pretty boring post.

Some of you might be aware that I decided to finally start watching "The Biggest Loser" show this coming new season (BTW, which premieres on Tuesday, September 20th!) but I like to get caught up with any show I decide to watch that's been on for a while.  So onto Hulu I went and all the way back to the very first episode of the show.  As I first started watching those episodes back-to-back, I really could NOT stand Jillian Michaels! Seriously.  I thought she was mean and thoughtless and too severe (especially in contrast to Bob Harper's style which has also changed a lot from the beginning of the show). But then something happened.  Slowly, I started realizing that she had a really great psychological understanding of why people get to that "Biggest Loser" stage in their lives.  She doesn't take very long to realize what their triggers are or what the "chinks in their armor" are and then she digs in - very much like a doberman but the hurt is going to make those people (hopefully) realize what their issues really are and make them bring out those issues into the light of day.  Breaking someone down so they can build themselves back up!  It's brilliant!  Well, I think she uses her abilities brilliantly :D  Yes, even when she's yelling & insulting them as they sweat buckets to endure the physical side of her technique.  But, I believe, she does it to bring out what needs to be brought out by removing barriers, making them so raggedly tired that there's no energy left in them to fight back and keep their emotional walls up.  Now, mind you, I'm not saying that I know how she thinks or anything but all of this has just been small observations as I progressed through the numerous episodes that I watched over the Summer.  I'm also not about to start worshiping her (even though I believe there is a goddess in every woman) or anything but I can acknowledge that she knows her stuff AND not just weight loss, dieting, and exercise!  

Fast forward to a few weeks ago.  I was tired of listening to music during my workouts so I decided to download a few motivational audiobooks.  I tried one and found that I had much better focus during my exercise routine than when I listened to music.  I went on to a second audiobook but didn't really care so much for it. I went back online to find something else for my next workout.  As I was scrolling through some "same ol', same ol'" types of motivational books, I had an idea and decided to search for something written by Jillian Michaels, thinking a fitness motivational audiobook would be really cool.  But, it wasn't her fitness books that caught my eye.  It was another book she released earlier this year called "Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life"  I downloaded it and I haven't regretted it one single bit!  If you get your hackles up at the mention of something written by Jillian Michaels, let me just say this to you: Open your mind and give her book a chance because it is profound!   It's very much her personality in the sense that it's "no holds barred" and she uses strong language on occasion to get an important point or two across but it's well organized with information and ideas that JUST MAKE SENSE!  The audiobook makes me feel like she's really standing there, next to me (or jogging alongside me) and talking to me like a very emotionally intelligent (& mentally intelligent) friend who's giving me her sage advice.  For example, why do some of us feel guilty if we acquire something we've wanted/desired for a long time?  Why do we feel guilty about having wants & desires for something more than what we have?  Do you want to know what her take is on this concept? Get the book! Oh wait, you know what?  Please get the book and read it - let your mind be open to see the possibilities because what if the way you've been thinking and doing things has given you the same undesired results repeatedly, does that mean the next time you try doing or thinking the same way it'll work out better? If you believe that, then please don't get the book :-)

So, with that said - love her or hate her, you know she helps people get results and achieve their goals, and not just with weight loss and exercise.  I read a lot and, honestly, there have been only two books up until now that have helped me be a better person emotionally and have helped me find my paths in life - this book will definitely be the third on that list (scroll to the end if you want to see my list). Get this book - read it or listen to it then go back and do it again & do the exercises the second round - that's what I'm doing (a little difficult to write answers down when you're trotting along on a treadmill or on the pavement)! 

Thank you, Jillian Michaels, for writing something so perceptively right! 

My emotional & life path changes have been transformed for the better by the following books:

1) Living with Joy, by Sanaya Roman (yes, it's a new age, spiritual book but it made me realize how much of my life's reactions are my own choice);

2) The Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives, by Michael Newton (this was the first time that I felt I had learned the truth of our existence, it FELT right);

3) Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life, written by Jillian Michaels (this is just an addition to everything else I've learned about myself, the universe, and life)

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RECIPE - Lower Calorie Tapioca Pudding!

I loved tapioca pudding when I was a kid and still do but I've never liked the name-brand, pre-made versions at the grocery stores -- they're too watery for me.  My grandma used to make tapioca pudding so that it was thick and, I hate to say it, almost a rubbery consistency.  But that's how I remember tapioca and that's how I like it.  Now, being on a vegan diet, I've been experimenting with different mixtures to get a tapioca pudding that I can enjoy but that will deliver less calories and maybe add more nutrients than a plain tapioca pudding.  So, tonight, I think I've found it!  Here's my discovery - drop a comment if you try it!  My next experiment will be vegan cannoli so that when my daughter is eating one, I can eat one too! :D

Vegan Tapioca Pudding Recipe

Serves: 4

(CalorieCountAbout.com)

  

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

4 – dessert bowls

INGREDIENTS

½ cup of quick cooking granulated tapioca (I like Let’s  Do…Organic brand)

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups unsweetened soy milk

¼ cup evaporated cane sugar

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, add all the ingredients. Whisk together.
2. Place saucepan over a medium-low heat.
3. Whisk constantly to prevent scorching and the tapioca from sticking to pan.
4. When tapioca has thickened (remember that it’ll thicken and solidify more when it starts to cool) to your desired consistency, turn off heat.
5. Pour into dessert bowls and let cool, then cover & store in fridge.

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RECIPE - Chocolate Soy Yogurt Fruit Parfaits

"You know what ELSE everybody likes? Parfaits! Have you ever met a person, you say, 'Let's get some parfait,' they say, 'Hell no, I don't like no parfait'? Parfaits are delicious!" - donkey, from Shrek (2001)

So, on that note, here's something I "whipped" up in my kitchen to try to use up the rest of some soy yogurt before it goes bad!  The combination of the flavors are really good! Well, that's my opinion at least :D 

Chocolate Soy Yogurt Fruit Parfaits

Serves 3.

(Approximately 279 calories per serving - but you can change this by making smaller portions and increasing the amount of servings.)

Equipment:

3 Hurricane glasses (or tall glasses)

Hand mixer or whisk

Ingredients:

1 cup plain soy yogurt

4 tbsp Agave syrup

3 tbsp Mimic Creme Whipped Topping (almond & cashew cream)

3 tbsp Cacao powder (dark & organic)

1 ripe mango, chopped

1 ½ cups sliced strawberries

½ cup blueberries

½ cup cinnamon toasted rolled oats

Directions

1)     Blend the soy yogurt, Agave, & MimicCreme in a bowl with a hand mixer on low or mix by hand.

2)     Slowly add the cacao powder.

3)     In hurricane glasses (or parfait glasses) toss some mango, strawberries, & blueberries into the bottom, sprinkle with some of the toasted oats, then top with 2 tbsp (more or less) of the chocolate yogurt mixture.  Continue in this order until you’re done. 

4)     Finish with some fruit on the top and a sprinkling of toasted oats.

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Food Choices

Did you know that most people often choose what to eat based on behavioral or social motives?  Taste is obviously involved too but, for the most part, it's not based on how vital nutrition is to one's health.  Basically, food is supposed to be fuel and building blocks for our bodies.  But, we don't really sit around thinking about how our bodies are made up of atoms, molecules, cells, etc., do we? That's what our bodies are and the food we put into our bodies determines how well those small parts work together to make up our physical selves.  Think about this:  your oldest blood cell is only 120 days old and that skin you see gets replaced every 7 years!  That's some major renewals going on in our bodies and to accomplish these and other miracles, we need specific nutrients.  But, what influences people's decisions about what to eat?

There's personal preferences, of course.  Taste!  Flavor!  And what are the two most common preferences? Sugary sweetness (mmm, vegan cupcakes...) and salty savoriness (and some of us want these two at the same time)!  There are other particular personal preferences like spicy, or high-fat (thinking vegan cupcakes again--maybe I should go eat one right now...).  There's also some research out there that hints at genetics having an influence in the tastes a person prefers or dislikes.  I know I've got some friends who absolutely can't stand sugary sweets (I wish I could count myself as one).  I can't particularly stand the flavor of cilantro or celery.

Another influence is habit.  Sometimes this is something that's just been eaten for so long that it has become more habit than anything else.  For example, if you grew up with a hot bowl of oatmeal everyday for your breakfast, and now that's what you still eat daily for breakfast.  It might be that it's just easier to do this than have to think and figure out what to eat for breakfast all the time.  And, if it works, why fix it? Right?  What if it doesn't work?  What if your food habit is two chocolate toaster pastries for breakfast or a Texas size donut with a 16oz cup of coffee with cream & sugar? Sigh. Not so good.

Your ethnic heritage or tradition can also influence the foods you prefer, but I'm sure you knew this one.  You tend to continue eating what you were raised eating.  And the "American diet" is basically a mixture of many ethnic foods from all parts of the world.  I grew up with mostly Portuguese foods but we ordered out or went out to eat a few times a month and it usually was burgers & fries, pizza, or Chinese food.

Social interactions have also a "hand in the cookie jar" when it comes to choosing our foods.  Social events are ALWAYS chock full of foods, usually not of the healthy variety either.  Think about it - Thanksgiving?  Valentine's Day?  How about when you go on a date?  As a woman, I know that most of us are so nervous on a first date that going out to dinner sometimes may not be the best idea and so we choose lighter options (this is completely different after the first few dates and then a whole other ballpark once you're married, just thought I'd share that).

But here are three major hitters in the game of food influencing - Availability, Convenience, & Economy! People want fast and they want it now! Oh, & make it cheaper AND bigger - more bang for the buck!  If you need any evidence of this, go hang out at a fast food restaurant for awhile.  Unfortunately, these are probably the worse of the bunch when it comes to influencing people's food choices.  Even if they decide to prepare their own meals, a lot of people want to be able to fix a whole meal in 15 to 20 minutes, which means choosing unhealthier, corner-cutting options like canned soups or other semi-prepared ingredients.  But here's a question:  a banana or a candy bar?  Both can be carried and eaten on the run, but which would you choose (assuming you even like bananas)?  Hint: one has more vitamins and minerals while the other offers "empty" fat & calories.

Have kids? Have you ever used food as a positive or negative reinforcement for behavior?  Think real carefully about this one.  Personally, I hate to admit it, but I did use this one on my kids...*sad sigh*.  Hot dogs, burgers from the BBQ, grilled corn-on-the-cob, ice cream cones, cotton candy - what do these foods bring to your mind?  They remind me of good times, of going to a carnival, of summer trips to the beach, of hanging out with friends and family.  Were you ever forced to eat something you didn't like when you were a kid because "it's good for you and you're going to eat it!  We're not made of money, you know!"?

Oh my, the other heavy weight in this list is - emotional comfort.  Do you eat when you're: happy? stressed? sad? bored? anxious? lonely? tired? in pain?  We try to fix ourselves with food a lot because, in part, foods can influence the brain's chemistry and the mind's response.  It could be temporary but, nonetheless, that time frame is a pleasant one that sometimes has us going back for more.

People's beliefs and values can also influence their food choices.  Certain religions have food restrictions or strict guidelines.  Some people choose to avoid certain foods based on other things like causes (migrant workers, animals' rights, environment, etc.).

There are a few people who do make their choices based on body weight and image.  The person who wants to be at a specific weight or has a certain image to either attain or maintain might make food decisions to accommodate these goals.

Appropriately, the next influence is nutrition and health benefits. (Yay! Finally! Okay, this is only one of the food influences in my life.)  This is the category of choosing foods that will benefit one's health, such as whole grains, more green leafy vegetables, fruit, etc.

All in all, people choose foods for a variety of reasons and don't just stick to any one category.  No matter the reasons, what we choose to eat influences our health, good or bad.  The balance of foods that we choose over time is what makes an important difference to our health.  Maybe it's time we shifted our minds away from watching so many gourmet food shows and start thinking of food as nutrition again...not art, not a palate of sensual delights...just nutrition.  Ya, I guess that'll happen when certain foods stop tasting so darn good! :D

(Information derived from textbook "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition". This is my way of taking notes :D )

August 29, 2011 - Also, as my good friend, Val, reminded me earlier today, the media also plays a HUGE part in influencing our food choices, don't you think?  Food is everywhere... billboards, TV commercials, magazine ads, in-show ads, etc.

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Frustrating Weeks=end of stagnation

Yuck!  Don't you just hate weeks that you just need to get soooo much done but it seems like your wheels are spinning in the mud and you're not getting ANYTHING done?  The past couple of weeks were exactly that way for me. But the "blah-ness" stops here and now...this week's gonna rock!  Or, at least, I'm going to try to rock it :D

I've finally applied to the college of my choice to complete my bachelor's degree in nutrition science (yay!!).  I've been working on that darn degree off-and-on for an unmentionable amount of years and now I'm crossing my fingers that it'll be within my grasp within the next two years (or maybe sooner)!  Then, my transition doesn't stop there -- that'd be too easy.  On to chiropractic college to become a chiropractor!  I'm going to be soooo tired by the time I'm done but it'll be worth it...just thinking of how I'll be able to help people makes it worth it.

I've started working on a log for vegans based on the book "Becoming Vegan" written by two registered dieticians.  If it works out really well, I'll post a copy of it for anyone interested.  I've been looking for something that I can easily refer to so I'm sure I'm getting a good balanced amount of nutrients so I can be even healthier (and with all the schooling I'm looking at, I'm going to need that more than ever).  It'd be more for beginning vegans and I'm trying to make it easy to track servings, what servings are, and the different pyramid-type food groups specific to vegans.  Obviously, the one published by the USDA isn't applicable to those of us who don't do dairy or meats...I think that's very small minded of them, don't you think so?  Right. :-D

Also, finally finished watching ALL eleven seasons of the "Biggest Loser" and now I'm so ready to watch the new season LIVE, well as live as it can get not being on Hulu that is.  If they do the "Pound for Pound" challenge again this season, I'm going to start a team - because I think it's a great idea to get people to lose weight and to help those who would go hungry without those food banks.  Wonder how many people I can get to do this with me?  I'm not going to push veganism on people but if anyone asks or has an interest, I'll be there excitedly full of information for them :D

It's funny.  Since I've started this vegan journey, I've improved my health, my energy levels, my thinking is clearer, and I've been able to watch two wonderful friends become vegetarians on the basis that one day they would jump the gap and go vegan, even if just to try it.  I think it's all pretty wonderful.  I just wish more people would discover the health benefits and the ease of being vegan...2 months for me and counting!

By-the-way, here's a recipe that one of those friends-turned-vegetarian sent to me today for homemade vegan pudding...I haven't tried it yet but "Smiles" swears it's awesome!

• 1 avocado, 1 tsp of dark cocoa powder, 1/2 cup soy milk and if you want it sweet, 4 tsp of evaporated cane sugar syrup (or agave nectar) or until your desired sweetness;
• Mix in a blender until well blended.
  Let me know if she's right or not...I haven't been very adventurous with avocados outside their normal uses so I've been hesitant to try the various vegan desserts that use avocado.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm belly dancing this weekend...in public...with a choreography that I wrote -- this is the first time for both these things together and I'm already nauseous at the thought *shivers*.  I hope I don't forget everything...or that my costume stays on (it's new, that's why I'm worried about it)...Okay, just better to not think about it - practice, practice, practice...that's the best way I can prepare, right? Right. *gulp*

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