Celebrate Life

My last post was somehow deleted when Blogger went down.  Basically, I revisited the subject of which vegetables and fruits should be bought organic and which don't have to be.  My concern was pesticides that really can't be washed off and that have been making some of us sick.  Blogger says it will recover it....In the meantime, as I ponder the next month or so, I hope that all of us will take time out to celebrate life.  My younger son will be 16 this month, my husband's birthday is just over a week after that, then there is senior prom and graduation for my older son.   A lot to be happy about around here.  I hope this season brings joy into your lives and gives you a reason to celebrate, too!   In the meantime, happy and healthy eating!

Does Some Produce Leave You Feeling Queasy?

I have been keeping detailed food diaries for almost 10 years now.  Why?  Well, besides the fact that they help me to maintain my weight, I often react to foods I eat and the diaries help me figure out what the culprits are. 

My husband and I are what I call "Frick and Frack".  He can eat anything - year-old meat, unwashed fruit, raw eggs, it doesn't matter what it is, he does not get sick.  As for me,  for a long time, if meat was not absolutely fresh, I would spend the night worshipping the proverbial porcelain god.  But even now, as someone who is attempting to be vegetarian, I am frustrated with the reactions I am getting from some of the plant-based foods out there.  If there are any pesticide or other residues on my fruits and vegetables that have not been entirely removed, I get anything from a mild tummy ache, to the jitters or a headache, to extreme stomach upset.  What I have become is a good barometer for whether or not foods are fresh and clean.  If they bother me a lot, in other words, they may be bothering you a little.  I know that my older son seems to suffer at least a little when I react.  So, what foods are the culprits?

Well, as healthy as a nice fresh salad should be, I find that most restaurants either do not use organic produce or simply do not wash their greens very well.  Most restaurant salads leave me wishing I had not eaten them.  When I eat out, I have to eat my vegetables well-cooked or not at all.  I love eating fresh fruit, but grapes that are not washed well, non-organic apples that are unpeeled, and non-organic strawberries in particular can leave me feeling like I have stomach flu.  What concerns me is that it wasn't until American grocery stores started getting most of their fruit and vegetables from other countries that I developed these problems.  Even a year or so after completing chemotherapy, when I was the most vulnerable, I could eat most restaurant salads and fruit cups with no trouble. 

This year, I have joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and can not wait to see what happens when my family and I eat pretty much what we pick up from our farm each week.  I will make sure that any fruits or vegetables I need to supplement what the farm provides are organic, preferably purchased at our closest Farmer's Market.  The first box arrives late this month.  I can't wait to share with you what treasures we find each week and how I will prepare them.

Do let me know if you have experienced any of the sensitivities I mentioned above.  I am quite curious and am, frankly, concerned about long-term effects that some of what we "allow" on our produce will have on us and our loved ones.  Anyway, until next time, happy and healthy eating!

Happy Mother's Day!

I was one of those frustrating people who did not know until a few years ago what I really wanted to do with my life.  When I first started college it was with the intention of becoming a trial lawyer someday.  I went as far as taking the LSAT and getting letters from several law schools.  But naive notions drove me away from the field and I focused my studies instead on English and French.  I loved studying foreign languages and got a job as an interpreter and tour guide with hopes of working for the State Department.  But then an interest in accounting resulted in my going back to school and getting a Masters in Accountancy and a CPA.  After that, I worked 15 years as an Accountant.  9 years ago, my "hard" bout with cancer caused me to re-evaluate my life.  Subsequently, I developed a passion for nutrition, went back to school again, and am now a Nutritionist.   I love the field, find it exciting and enjoy that it is ever-changing.  But the best and most rewarding job I've ever had is being the mother to my two beautiful boys.  I know that sounds cliche, but it is true.  Motherhood isn't always easy.  In fact, in some ways it is the most difficult, and certainly the most demanding, job I've had.  The job is 24/7 and begins with caring for an entirely helpless and dependent baby who slowly evolves into a unique, and increasingly independent individual.   But I wouldn't trade it for anything and I thank God for the priviledge of having a hand in shaping the lives of two bright, thoughtful, talented, and loving young men. 

My wish for all of you is that you have a happy Mother's Day - whether you are a mother, are honoring your mother, or remembering someone who has been like a mother to you.

And until next time, happy and healthy eating!

Back in The Saddle Again

Tonight was Senior Night on my son's Varsity baseball team and, except for a few minutes of light rain and high winds, it was a perfect evening.  We honored our 7 graduating seniors by having them come out on the field before the game with their families, letting us know their college plans, etc.  It was a pretty emotional moment.  These are terrific guys and have been incredible role-models for my son and the other underclassmen.  The boys then proceeded to play some good baseball, winning their game 12 to 2 after 5 innings (by the so-called "slaughter rule").  It was a lovely evening and, yes, our boys are back in the proverbial saddle again.  Go Bulldogs!

On the nutrition front, I read a fascinating article in the Wall Street Journal today about cellulose - a product that is added to shredded cheese so it won't stick together and to ice cream to make it creamier, among other things.  It is often made of finely shredded or powdered wood pulp and, as scary as that sounds, it is actually a decent source of fiber (since it is not digested and helps form "bulk" in your intestines).  It even appears in some organic products.  It helps add texture to low-fat and fat-free foods, so I guess I have ingested my share of it though the years and I think I'm o.k. with that, which surprises me somehow.  Food for thought...

Until next time, happy and healthy eating!

5-Hour Energy - Is It Safe?

It's AP and final exam time at our local high schools!  Lots of studying for some pretty tough exams - some of which can give you college credit if you do well enough on them.  With kids having to get up at around 6:00 to make it to school on time, it gets pretty tough to stay awake when it comes time to study.  What to do?  What to do?  Unfortunately, a lot of kids are turning to 5-Hour Energy and 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength.  A 2-ounce shot contains 2,000% of vitamin B6, 150% 0f B3 and 8,333% of B12.  Remember the days when doctors used to give movie stars Vitamin B shots to give them a boost?  I assume that is the reason for all the B vitamins these tiny "drinks" contain.  The good news is that B vitamins are water soluble, so they are not toxic in large doses and they will only "boost" your energy if you are vitamin-B deficient.   One of the things that concerns me, however, is that high doses of B6 can cause nerve damage, as well as tingling and numbness in the arms and legs.  My bigger concern about 5-Hour Energy, though,  is the other ingredients it contains.

If you read the bottle, you will notice that it has 1,870 milligrams of an "energy blend", consisting of ingredients such as Taurine, Glucuranolactone, N-Acetyl, L-Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine, Citicoline, and Caffeine.  The makers of the product claim that the caffeine is equal to the amount found in a premium cup of coffee, which is 180 milligrams at a place like Starbucks.  That leaves about 300 milligrams each of the other mysterious ingredients.  I do not know what the long-term effects of these chemicals are, but because they are marketed as "dietary supplements", these energy drinks do not require FDA approval before hitting the market.  (Keep in mind that the ingredients listed above are for the regular strength product.  Obviously, the levels mentioned herein will be higher for the Extra-Strength variety). 

I do know that too much of this product can cause nervousness, sleeplessness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and higher blood pressure.  And some consumers have experienced extreme fatigue and drowsiness once the product wears off, making it, I would guess, potentially habit-forming. 

I understand the pressure kids are under at exam time, but if you want to boost energy levels naturally, here are some suggestions:

• When you hit those slumps in your day (often at 10:00 and 3:00), have some carrot sticks or an ounce and a half of cheese with some whole grain crackers as a pick-me-up.
• Avoid large amounts of sugar and fat.  Sugar will give you a burst of energy followed by a crash, and fat will weigh you down, making you feel sluggish.
• Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast.
• Take a quick exercise break, even if it's just going up and down the stairs a few times or taking a short walk.
• Make sure you get enough sleep each night.
• Take time to relax and meditate. - don't let stress control you.

To the teens out there, good luck on your exams!  To the parents, talk to your kids about how they are managing to stay awake through this tough time and help them find some natural ways to get the energy they so desperately need to make it through this crunch. 


(Information obtained from WebMD, "Energy Shots Review: Do They Work?  Are They Safe?", by Elizabeth Lee;  and Wikipedia)

Lent Is Over - Now What?

Orthodox Christians mark the 7 Sundays after Pascha (or Easter) as "The First Sunday after Pascha", "The Second Sunday after Pascha", etc. until Pentecost, when the Sundays are marked as the 1st through 32nd Sundays after Pentecost.  After that, we have the 10 Sundays before Pascha, during which the Lenten period starts again.  In other words, just because Lent is over does not mean that we are no longer mindful of  the resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit that we receive following it.  So...how does this translate to how we live our day-to-day lives?

Well, we can eat meat again after our 54-day fast (except, of course, on Wednesdays and Fridays, and the Apostles Fast, the Dormition Fast, and the Nativity Fast).  Come to think of it, we Orthodox Christians fast off of meat about 180 days out of the year - which is good for us.  We spend almost half our year abstaining from meat and, usually, dairy as well.  That pretty much amounts to all "heavy" and rich foods.  It's nice that the Church helps us to keep our diets healthy half the time.  But what do we do during those 180+ nonfasting days? 

I think we do ourselves a terrible disservice if we scarf up all the meat, cream, cheese, and butter we can just because we can.  I recall the monks and their 2 meal-a-day,  primarily fruit, vegetable, and fish diet, keeping in mind that they do not suffer from many of the diet-related diseases we are plagued with, and think that at least establishing a happy medium would be a great improvement over eating the "standard American diet" half the year.   As I've said before, I know that 2 meals a day are not enough for most of us - especially students and 9-to-5'ers.  But we can try to keep what we eat lighter - with more fruits and vegetables and less meat, and whole-fat dairy.  Besides being better for us physically, when we are not weighed down with heavy food, it is easier to pray and be mindful of the things of God. 

The big Lenten fast may be over, but our "Pascha-Pentecost" days are not.   The Orthodox Church marks time based on the events that mark God's promises to us - namely, the resurrection, and the receiving of His Holy Spirit.  By making sure we do not weigh ourselves down, we make it easier to find God's Spirit within us, and subsequently, to pray with an understanding of what really matters in this world, as well as having a grip on the promise that awaits us beyond this life.   Just some food for thought...

Until next time, happy and healthy eating!

 

A Lovely Wedding Introduces Us to Philippine Cuisine

This has been some weekend!  Friday night my younger son's Varsity baseball team won a tough game.  And Saturday was spent enjoying two performances of the fabulous play that my older son was in.  Today my youngest and I attended the wedding of a long-time friend.  He married a lovely woman from the Philippines.  And I was introduced to Philippine cuisine.  In the photo on the left you can see the many covered dishes, the aroma of which enticed us as we entered the reception hall. 

I realize that Philippine cuisine combines the best of many of my other favorite cuisines.  There were both beef and chicken kabobs that were reminiscent of Thai Satay but with a smooth gravy for dipping instead of peanut sauce.  Then there was something that reminded me of Indian Samosas that were filled with either vegetables and chicken, or vegetables and beef.  There was a dish of sliced seasoned beef in what appeared to be a rich gravy.  There were steamed vegetables, two kinds of rice (plain white and a fried rice with peas and carrots), and meatballs in sauce.  There was something that looked like beef-filled fried egg rolls, which my son said were outstanding.  And my favorite - crunchy cabbage, soft potatoes, and other vegetables wrapped in a combination of a tortilla/injera (Ethiopian-type spongy bread).  The wedding cake was delicious with a luscious marzipan-textured frosting.  See photo below.

The evening was lovely - a wonderful reunion of old friends gathered to wish two lovely people a beautiful life together.  Congratulations Joe and Rosanna!

Until next time, happy and healthy eating!  (Note:  I would LOVE the recipes for some of those delicious dishes.  Hint, hint, hint,..)