Healthy Eating- a Family Affair

I watched Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (fridays 9pm on ABC) and was almost as upset as he was about the crap our schools are feeding our kids! I know, I've worked in the cafeteria at my kid's school and I have seen the choices: Chocolate milk, strawberry milk, chicken nuggets, pizza, mac and cheese, and the best one from my kid's school is "taco in a bag" which is a bag of Doritos with meat sprinkled inside the bag - UGH! This show takes place in Huntington, West Virginia which was dubbed the "unhealthiest city in America" with a largely obese population and people dying premature deaths because of bad eating habits and lack of exercise. His quest is to change what the cafeterias are feeding these kids in Huntington by educating the kids, teachers, parents, lunch ladies and convincing those in charge that cafeteria cooking can be like restaurant cooking with fresh, raw ingredients, including meats, chicken, fruits, vegetables prepared to order, not a bunch of boxes in a freezer that are simply reheated. It was amazing when he went into the class room and held up a bunch of vegetables and asked the kids what each one was - none of them knew one!

After watching Jamie teach an obese 6th grader, from a family that ate very unhealthy (their deep frier was the most used appliance in the house) to cook, it motivated me to teach my own kids. My kids are in the kitchen with me a lot, but this time I asked my 5th grader to put together a menu he wanted to make and I would help him prepare it. He chose to make a shrimp and spinach sauce served over rice pasta topped with Feta Cheese. I wasn't about to squash the cheese idea - so we went with it! All my kids loved it and my son was so proud of his efforts. My 4th grader is on tomorrow night - he wants to make turkey tacos with whole grain soft tortillas topped with salsa. Although I am not eating meat, it is hard for my kids to eat a total vegetarian diet (for now) so I'm buying the freshest of meats when possible and supporting their culinary quests. I always make a huge salad chock full of veggies or have broccoli, asparagus, sweet potatoes, carrots as a healthy side. We never open a box of anything and reheat it!

I was asked by a friend about lunches. I always pack my kids lunch, they will buy occasionally when it is something they really want like "thanksgiving meal" or "french toast day" as a special treat, but they rarely buy. Lunches are hard because I really don't like lunch meats and there is only so many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches you can make. If I am going to make peanut butter and jelly, the peanut butter I buy is "Tree of Life" Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter because no salt is added and the only ingredient is organic dry roasted unblanched Valencia peanuts - how great is that? As far as jelly, you have to watch out for added sugar, look for jams sweetened only with fruit juice or even pure cane sugar - stay away from any with high fructose corn syrup. Cranberries and cherries are so crazy healthy for you, I often take fresh or frozen cranberries or cherries, put them in a stock pot with pure maple sugar, cook it down - maybe add a little Arrow Root as a thickener and make my own jam!

As far as lunch meats go, they are filled with sodium (sometimes as high as 1,000 mg per serving) and preservatives such as sodium nitrate which are converted into chemicals called nitrosamines in the stomach. Nitrosamines have been shown to cause cancer in lab animals. Best bet would be to buy a fresh turkey, slice it yourself and put on your sandwich. We will go to Whole Foods and buy their low sodium, fresh off the bone turkey. What we do is put a few slices of turkey and pile our kids sandwich sky high with romaine lettuce - which my kids love. We put a little "Spectrum" eggless, vegan light canola may on whole grain bread and done! We don't give them lunch meat everyday. We'll make tuna salad on whole grain wraps like "Mission Multi Grain" wraps and of course pack with lettuce (unfortunately my kids will not eat tomatoes). As far as snacks in their lunch, we pack grapes/apples(fruit), pretzels, veggie chips, cucumbers/carrots/celery and a water bottle.

TAKE AWAY

As I saw with the family Jamie Oliver was trying to help eat healthier (he had them bury their deep fryer in the backyard) it takes a family to make healthy choices and positive changes. It is hard to do over night, but over time, day by day, start clearing out the junk and filling it in with fresh veggies, fruits and whole grains. It is time consuming I will admit, but stay far away from processed foods! If you want junk food, make it yourself!

What are you??

Not eating meat and dairy for a while has made me wonder if I'm getting enough B12 in my diet because I thought meat and dairy are the main sources of vitamin B12. B12 is needed for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function and DNA synthesis. The RDA recommends 2.4 mcg a day for ages 14 and up - which is actually pretty easy to get even if you're not eating meat. Symptoms of B12 deficiency include megaloblastic anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite and weight loss. I decided to research what I needed to add to my diet to get enough B12 and I realize now that I don't need to eat a steak to get it. Ok, the food with the most B12 is cow's liver with 48.0 mcg per serving, clams have 34.2 mcg and breakfast cereal fortified with 100% DV (Daily Value) for B12 has 6.0 mcg, trout has 5.4 mcg and sockeye salmon has 4.2 mcg. I thought by not eating beef and dairy, I was really missing the B12 boat but a top sirloin steak only has 2.4 mcg and 1 cup of yogurt has only 1.4 mcg per serving. So I'm more than good with my Kellogg's All-Bran with Extra Fiber Cereal ( 24 mcg of B12) and my Rice Milk with added B12 (20%). If you are worried you don't eat enough foods with B12 - a supplement is always a good option too. If you are a strict vegetarian or vegan, it may be wise to get your blood checked and make sure you are getting enough of this essential vitamin.

I just got my copy of Baltimore's Child Magazine and was so glad to read an article called "Vegetarian Deals the Whole Family will Enjoy" by Susan Davis, which talked about three different restaurants in the Baltimore area that offer vegetarian fare for kids as well as grown ups! I have been really trying to get my kids to eat healthy (veggies, fruits, whole grains) - anything but hamburgers, french fries, mac n cheese, hot dogs, pizza (the typical western diet-better known as fried foods, salty snacks and meat). Here is the list:

1. David's Natural Market in Columbia, Md (www.davidsnaturalmarket.com). It has daily Vegan and Vegetarian specials, with freshly made soups. Also serves cookies, muffins and tea cakes made with unrefined maple, sugars and fruit sweeteners.
2. Great Sage in Clarksville Md (www.great-sage.com). Has gourmet food made exclusively from plant-based sources and they have gluten-free and raw foods on their menu. They have pepperoni pizza made with naan, tomato sauce, Daiya vegan cheese and soy pepperoni - they also have raw cashew cheese as an option - how great is that?
3. Soup's On - Mount Vernon, Md (www.soupsonbalto.com). They have all-natural soups with no additives or preservatives as well Vegan soups such as Spicy Carrot with Sweet Pea Puree or Peanut Butter Hot soup.

TAKE AWAY:

I am still on my crazy journey of eating the healthiest foods and deciding what foods I want to eat and what foods I want to avoid. It's not that I "can't" eat certain foods (as my kids often say), I just don't choose to eat certain foods because I don't think they are the best thing for me now and in the long run. Again my goal is to live a long, healthy, disease free life! My mother died of breast cancer, my oldest brother died of heart disease, my sister has high cholesterol and thyroid issues, my dad and other brother have hypertension and the list goes on. As I've said before, I exercise a lot and take good care of the outside of my body - the inside of my body deserves the same amount of time and attention.

I'm often confused of different types of eating styles and who eats, fish, but not dairy and who eats eggs, but not chicken...confusing!! I'm not sure what I am yet - but may be closest to the Macrobiotic diet - who knew!!

Here are some definitions to help us all out:

• Pescatarian (also spelled pescetarian) - those who don't eat meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. Good stepping stone to fully vegetarian diet.
• Flexitarin/Semi-vegetarian - those who eat mostly vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat
• Vegetarian - a person who does not eat meat, poultry or fish
• Lacto-ovo-Vegetarian are those who don't eat beef, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish, or animal flesh of any kind, but do eat eggs and dairy products
• Lacto-Vegetarians - a vegetarian who does not eat eggs, but eats diary products
• Ovo-Vegetarian - People who do not eat meat or dairy products, but do eat eggs
• Vegan - those who don't eat eggs, dairy products, processed foods containing these or other animal-derived ingredients.
• Raw Vegan/Raw food diet - those who eat unprocessed vegan foods that have notbeen heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. "Raw foodists" believe that foods cooked above this temp have lost a good amount of their nutritional value.
• Macrobiotic - a diet designed for its healthy and healing qualities, includes unprocessed vegan foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and allows for the occasional consumption of fish. Sugar and refined oils are avoided. The unique part of this diet is its emphasis on eating Asian veggies such as daikon and sea vegetables such as seaweed.

What are you???

GO RAW!!

I am really into "raw foods" and it's amazing benefits to the body inside and out! People boast about amazing results from eating raw such as weight loss, energy and a clearer complexion. I've been reading my book " The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw" and really am starting to understand that raw foods contain lots of powerful ingredients that are lost when food is cooked above 116 degrees. Raw foods have high levels of enzymes and vital nutrients. One of the most important part of raw foods are the enzymes they contain. Enzymes are the life force in all living things. They are responsible for building, detoxifying and healing the body and help with digestion and metabolism. Enzymes basically are responsible for regulating tens of thousands of other biochemical functions in the body. Raw foods are also filled with Phytonutrients which prevent certain diseases as well as have a high water content which fills you up quicker and helps you loose weight. Raw foods are also jammed packed with antioxidents which help prevent free radical damage by stabilizing the free radicals formed by the body and also help slow the aging process as well as help give you glowing skin (SOLD)! Raw foods are also high in fiber which helps lower cholesterol and helps you loose weight as well.

These uncooked foods also have essential fatty acids (EFA) which are linoleic and linolenic acid. Our bodies need EFA for blood clotting, brain development and controlling inflammation.

I talked about the myth of protein and how so many of us think we need it from animal meat. We now know there are many foods other than meat that will give us more than enough protein our bodies need, and the "raw foods" advocates suggest that the proteins in raw foods is easier for the body to absorb than the protein in cooked foods.

Here is a list of protein rich raw foods from "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw":

• NUTS: almonds, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, coconut, cashews and walnuts
• SEEDS: pumpkin, sesame, flax, hemp and sunflower
• VEGETABLES: spinach, kale, peppers, shitake mushrooms, garlic and sea vegetables
• FRUITS: apricots, peaches, currants, prunes, raisins, figs, dates, avocados
• SPROUTED GRAINS (they have a section on how to sprout foods to make them "living") such as quinoa, buckwheat, and wheat berries
• SPROUTED LEGUMES such as lentils and garbanzo beans

Most of the foods listed above are also high in calcium, but they tout sesame seeds as being one of THE best sources of calcium. I have been drinking rice milk and almond milk (which my kids now drink - no more cow's milk in this house) but their recipe for Sesame Milk looks good and it provides 70% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for calcium. The recipe is to take 1/2 cup unhulled sesame seeds and put in blender with 1/2 cup water and blend until paste starts to form. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups water while blending. Add 1TB maple syrup or agave nectar and blend for 10 more seconds. Strain through fine mesh strainer. - store in airtight glass container in fridge for 3 or 4 days.

I bought my sesame seeds today at Whole Foods and will let you know how it turns out!

TAKE AWAY:

Going to watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution - which I Tivoed (is that a word?). It's about his journey to Huntington West, VA, which has a high percentage of overweight, obese and generally unhealthy people. His quest is to teach them simple ways to eat healthier and loose weight.

Also, my friend Ellen, who is also a follower of this blog, has really changed the way she eats and is a fan of the "green smoothie". She added a banana to the green smoothie recipe I gave ya'll a week or so ago, and she said it made all the difference in the world! I then read in my "Idiot's Guide..." a similar recipe. It called for Kale, fresh lime juice, pineapple and banana - YUM - I'm making it in the morning - ain't no better way to get that amazingly healthy kale!

BIG Plate of Raw Veggies Please!!

Hey all , it's been a few days!!! I am still not eating any chicken, beef, or dairy and can honestly say I feel great. I have been eating more vegetables than I EVER have in my life and love my new found plant based diet. I am reading/skimming through "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins as well as "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman, and "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas Campbell and they all tout the plant based diet as the main way to fight cancers and other diseases. Think of raw vegetables as being the "main dish" and everything else as the side dish.

I was with my family at the beach this weekend and I was curious how my plant based/whole grain diet was going stand up to the "party" and if I was going to feel left out or feeling somewhat deprived, but surprisingly I didn't. We had a big pizza party the first night and my brother bought a bunch of "fresh dough" from Wegman's as well as a HUGE bag of mozzarella cheese. I brought organic tomato sauce, "brown rice" pizza shells as well as Ezekiel 4:9 Organic Sprouted Whole Grain Tortillas, which make great pizza shells as well. These wraps (which you can obviously use from sandwich wraps) have 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein per wrap as well as potassium, magnesium, copper, thiamine, iron.....and are made of wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt. I piled my pizzas high with spinach, fresh oregano, thyme, mushrooms. I read the ingredients on the Wegmans Pizza Dough and it has Enriched Flour (all the good ingredients stripped out and then put back in in trace amounts) Partially hydrogenated soy bean oil (which not only makes you fat but also causes diseases like multiple sclerosis and allergies that lead to arthritis). I talked about the process of hydrogenation in my previous blogs, but basically trans fats are like poisons, they interfere with our metabolic process. I used Vegetable Cheese, ( I just ordered a dairy and soy free vegan cheese from a company called "Daiya" on www.cosmosveganshoppe.com) again because I am staying away from dairy products. Calcium is better absorbed from vegetables than from milk. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition - here are the absorption rates (% of calcium our body absorbs from the following veggies vs. milk:

• Brussels sprouts: 63.8 %
• Mustard greens: 57.8%
• Broccoli: 52.6%
• Turnip greens: 51.6 %
• Kale: 50%
• Cow's Milk: 32 %

Remember, it's not what we eat, but what we can absorb!

The 2nd night at our family gathering my brother made sausage, peppers and onions in a tomato sauce (we are 100% Italian), my sister (knowing my path) kindly made Cous Cous with green beans and potatoes with lots of fresh rosemary, and I made two HUGE raw salads. One with kale, spinach, broccoli, collard greens with onions and tomatoes, drenched with lemon and lime juice and a little Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and another shredded cabbage salad (which I talked about before) with slivered almonds, orange slices, shredded carrots and a little Rice Wine Vinegar and a bit of olive oil.

My plate was piled high with the Raw Salad being my main dish, with the cous cous and potatoes on the side - while (almost) everyone else had their big white rolls filled with sausage, with a little salad on the side.

TAKE AWAY:

Nutrient Dense food is the key to health and a long, healthy disease free life! Good thing is you can really can eat nice big portions of these foods - forget portion control!

Joel Fuhrman's book listed the most nutrient dense foods to the lowest: 100 being the highest score for the most nutrient dense foods and 0 being the lowest score. The scores are based on "identified phytochemicals (plant chemicals that have protective and disease preventative properties), antioxidant activity, and total vitamin and mineral content:

• 100 points - Raw Leafy Green Vegetables (Romain lettuce, Kale, Collards, Spinach, Swiss Chard Parsley, Daikon)
• 97 points - Solid Green Veggies (Artichokes, Asparagus, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Celery, Cucumbers, Kohlrabi, Okra, Peas, Peppers, Snow Peas, String Beans, Zucchini
• 50 points - Non Green, Non Starchy Vegetables (Beets, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Onions, Tomatoes, Yellow and Red Peppers, Bamboo Shoots, Water Chestnuts, Cauliflower)
• 48 points - Beans and Legumes (Red Kidney Beans, Chick Peas, Pinto Beans, Cowpeas, Navy Beans, Cannellini Beans, Soy Beans, Lentils, White Beans, Lima Beans, Pigeon Peas, Black Eyed Peas)
• 45 points - Fresh Fruits (Apples, Apricots, Bananas,Blackberries, Blueberries, Cantaloupes, Grapefruits, Grapes, Kiwis, Mangoes, Nectarines, all Melons, Oranges, Peaches, Pears, Persimmons, Pineapples, Plums, Raspberries, Strawberries, Tangerines, Watermelons
• 35 points - Starchy Vegetables (White Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Acorn Squash, Winter Squash, Parsnips, Pumpkins, Turnips, Corn, Carrots, Chestnuts
• 22 points - Whole Grains (Barley, Buckwheat, Millet, Oats, Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Quinoa)
• 20 Points - Raw Nuts and Seeds ( Almonds, Cashews, Filberts, Macadamias, Pecans, Pine Nuts, Pistachios, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds)
• 15 Points - Fish
• 13 Points - Fat-Free Dairy
• 11 Points - Wild Meats and Fowl
• 11 Points - Eggs
• 8 Points - Red Meat
• 4 Points - Full-Fat dairy
• 3 Points - Cheese
• 2 Points - Refined Grains (white flour)
• 1 Points - Refined Oils
• 0 Points - Refined Sweets

My homework and yours if you want: To find and try kohlrabi, pigeon peas and cowpeas (no relation to the animal I'm sure)

Clean Food, Nutrients & pH Balance

Went to Dogwood in Hampden and we loved the restaurant! It had lots of twinkly lights, cool atmosphere and really good food! We went with a bunch of friends and they ordered a couple cheese plates for an appetizer, I of course did not partake - and to be honest I didn't even miss it! I had an amazing mixed green salad and ordered the butternut squash risotto on black rice with lots of veggies. I was going to order the fish, but my husband did, so I got to have a few bites! He got a European Sea Bass called Bronzini. It was a whole fish stuffed with an olive, capers and red pepper stuffing - it was really tastey! We did get Oysters for an appetizer and I had a few! Ok Oysters have their health benefits - they are full of Zinc (100mg per gram). Zinc helps men keep a healthy prostate gland and helps aid in women's reproduction and mental functions. Oysters also have iron, selenium and other trace minerals, as well as fat-soluble A and D vitamins and the long-chain omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA.

Have been using my recipe book "Clean Food" by Terry Walters a lot and absolutely love this book. It not only has great recipes, but really goes through basic cooking methods from the more cooling to the more warming. She really talks about using all of them and combing these cooking methods for a perfect meal. The cool end to the warm end goes in this order:

pickling, sprouting, juicing, raw, blanching, sauteing, simmering,baking, pressure-cooking, broiling, roasting.

She also goes into descriptions of grains, what they are and how to cook them. I was in Severna Park (outside of Annapolis) yesterday and went to my favorite "health food" store called "Good Life Organic Market". I went to the bulk grain section and stocked up on Grains. I bought a few that I have never cooked before such as Amaranth, Millet and Wheat Berries. Terry suggests soaking certain grains such as brown rice, whole oats, hulled barley and wheat berries because they contain Phytic Acid which interferes with the absorption of zinc, calcium, iron and other essential minerals. If you soak for one hour, this phytic acid washes away and you are left with a better complex carb. Even though the Phytic acid is removed she explains that these complex carbs still can create acidity in the body. To neutralize this and make the grains more alkaline-forming, she suggested cooking all your grains with a piece of Kombu (sea vegetable) or sea salt. She explains buy cooking your grains (amaranth, whole hulled barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur wheat, couscous, jasmine rice, millet, whole oats, quinoa, sushi rice, teff, wheat berries, wild rice) with a piece of Kombu, it infuses them with minerals and improves digestibility and reduces gas.

The book then goes into the types of vegetables divided into categories:

• Dark Leafy Greens - rich in calcium, chlorophyll, iron and vitamins C and E. These greens help lift our moods, heal organs and help combat stress! These are the "heavy hitter" as the book says: kale, collards, mustard greens, dandelion greens, watercress and romaine. I have been using collard greens as my wraps for my "raw" burritos or hummus, sprouts and veggie wraps and they are really good and have HUGE leaves.
• Cruciferous Vegetables - cancer preventing nutrients and antioxidants. These vegetables break down and break down fats and eliminate toxins. Here are a few: cauliflower, broccoli, Napa cabbage, Savoy cabbage, bok choy, pac choy, tatsoi, brussels sprouts, green and purple cabbages, daison radish, red radishes and watermelon radishes.
• Roots and Tubers - Vitamin A, beta-carotene, minerals, fiber, antioxidants. These roots are: parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, ginger, beets, burdock, lotus root, sweet potatoes, yams - and relatives to this category are carrots, celery, celeriac, parsley and fennel.
• Bulbs - Known to dissolve fats and excess mucus, healthy for the heart: garlic (known for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral properties) leeks, onions, scallions and shallots
• Squash - has blood alkalinizing properties as well as B1, C, folic acid, pantothenic acid, fiber and potassium. Winter squash is also high in vitamin B6 and niacin: Squashes include: acorn, butternut, kabocha, dumpling, pumpkin, buttercup, delicata, red kuri and hubbard (a few I have never heard of)
• Herbs -(parsley, basil, thyme, chives, oregano, rosemary, mint, dill...) herbs can heal sicknesses, cleanse your blood, and lift your mood. Use fresh herbs a lot - they are filled with nutrients including Vitamins E, B6, A, C, K, fiber, iron, magnesium, manganese, calcium, zinc, copper, potassium and Parsley has protein!

TAKE AWAY:

Foods are either acid-forming or alkalizing based on the effect they have on the body. Each food is based on a PH scale of 0-14. Zero is the most acidic and fourteen is the most alkaline. The human blood pH should be slightly alkaline - between 7.35 and 7.45.

As a society, we eat more acid-forming foods and drinks than alkalizing foods. Too much coffee, caffeine, soda, alcohol, processed and fried foods, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and animal proteins are acid forming. High levels of stress also cause acid in the body. Our bodies don't allow our pH to become unbalanced, but if we eat highly acidic food and drinks, our bodies have to work extremely hard to maintain that balance and that's when the trouble begins! Health problems caused by an acid-forming diet and stress include acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach aches, insomnia, headaches, fatigue, constipation, osteoporosis, inflammation, dry skin, cardiovascular damage, diabetes, thyroid problems and weight gain.

By adding MORE alkaline-forming foods in our diet we can help heal our own bodies. All sodas, diet or regular, is one of the biggest culprits of forming acid in the body. It can take the rust off an old car - just think what it's doing to your body! Non-organic animal protein with added antibiotics as well as cow's milk also causes high acidity in the body.

Eat more alkalizing foods such as fruits and vegetables, sea vegetables such as sushi and nori, oatmeal, a little EVOO, green tea and mineral water with a slice of lemon as well as non-dairy milk such as almond milk and squash (like discussed earlier) helps balance pH!

Eating Healthy & Exercising to Live a Long Life Free of Disease!

I wrote my first blog feb 7th and it is now march 12th. Within a few weeks of writing as I have said before I have not eaten any dairy, chicken, meat or even fish! I have been eating a ton of fruits (avocados, apples, berries, bananas, pears), vegetables (kale, spinach, swish chard, collard greens, cilantro and lots of herbs, bok choy, cabbage, tomatoes....), beans, broccoli sprouts, mushrooms, white and sweet potatoes, high protein lentils, seeds, raw nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews) some soy products like TSP (texturized soy protein), and tofu (as a treat i'll have Soy Boy Italian or Caribbean Tofu - 10 grams of protein, a bit of sodium - but really yummy). I make a lot of green smoothies with kale, spinach, apple, avocado, vanilla hemp protein powder, and I'll add maca powder (a root vegetable rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids).

Peruvians use maca to help their general health and it's known to increase energy and stamina and help treat menopause and low libido by regulating the body's glandular function and helping with hormonal balance). I will also make shakes with fresh or frozen fruit or bananas and almond butter, hemp protein powder with Coconut Milk Kefir (which is rich in medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) which support the body's immune system and has live and active cultures just like in cow's milk yogurt).

As I said before, I have been making really amazing salads with all these fresh raw ingredients and putting them over quinoa, brown rice, hulled barley or other grains - getting the cooked with the raw. I have been using just a little oil on these salads and really using citrus, sea salt and pepper to give it flavor. Will talk more about whole grains!

I have not given up fish - just haven't eaten it for a while. I am going to Dogwood Restaurant tonight in Hampden and may have fish! Excited to try this restaurant. They promote sustainability and try to use seasonal, local and naturally grown ingredients whenever possible and they hire people who may be transitioning from addiction, incarceration or homelessness - giving them an opportunity to turn their lives around - which I thought was a pretty cool way to help transform lives!

After taking that raw foods workshop with Kendall Reichhart (who I wrote about in my previous blog) I have really loved the raw foods way of eating, and I'm simply adding these raw dishes along with cooked ones. I did by "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw" and just bought all the ingredients to make cashew cheese and almond cheese (kinda missing eating cheese - I love all kinds of cheeses, so right now this is my biggest challenge - we'll see what the future brings). If I do eat cheese it will most likely be cheese made from goat's milk. Goat's milk has a higher proportion of the medium chain fatty acids and has more protein and is similar to human breast milk (which we talked about before) and goat's milk is a good source of calcium, tryptophan, protein, phosphorus, B2 and potassium and it's more easily digested.

My ingredients for the almond cheese is a little over my head but I'm forging forward. It's almonds soaked in water at least 2 hours, 1 cup rejuvelac (basically grains soaked in water, rinsed and drained and soaked again until they sprout (takes days) - the final liquid is added to the sprouted grain for 2 days and that water is your rejuvelac - CRAZY - I may just use regular water), light miso ( I bought organic barley miso (soybean paste) it's fermented and super healthy, chock full of tryptophan, manganese, vitamin k, protien, fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, zinc, copper....) and great taste - think Miso Soup. Next ingredient is Umeboshi plum paste (I bought at the Natural along with the Barley Miso) really tangy and salty - kind of good and super healthy as well - can be used in place of salt or butter on stuff. My final ingredients for this almond cheese is FRESH Basil, thyme, oregano and chives. I'm going to blend it all together and let it sit in a warm place for 3 to 4 hours and then eat it on crackers with lots of wine!!!! I think it's going to be good...will let you know!

TAKE AWAY:

Know that everything you put in your body counts. All Oils are fattening, even olive oil, there are health benefits in oil but use these oils in very small doses - you can save a TON of calories that way. Eat more nutrient rich foods! Exercise every day, and lift weights, do push-ups or other weight bearing exercises at least 3 times per week. Strength training helps retain the calcium in your bones, builds bone density and improve muscle strength as well as helps improve your balance and in turn will help you live longer!

My goal is to use foods and exercise to keep my body healthy, free of disease and free of medications that doctors love to prescribe so freely. I am relying on healthy foods and exercise to help me live a long, healthy, vibrant life as well as enjoy the fresh ingredients I'm eating and feeding to my family.

starting to get it

Ok, I'm really starting to get it because I'm really starting to research, learn and understand a lot more about the foods I was putting in my body and the foods I'm eating now. As I said before I went to a "raw foods" workshop which really opened my eyes to a completely new way of eating - a simple diet that helps you get the most fiber, calcium, protein and nutrients for your buck - and actually tastes pretty darn good!

My friend Rachael and I went to a "sneak preview tasting" last wednesday at Cafe Green (near Dupont Circle in DC ) which is an Organic, Vegan restaurant that was very swanky with amazing, very upscale vegan food. It was a set menu which we got to choose from and we each got something different so we could taste test each others. Rachael has been a vegan for like forever although she's only 25, so she knows her stuff. We both had the palate cleanser to start with which was a blend of , as the menu read "longevity fruits: Meyer Lemon, Pineapple & Aloe containing naturally occurring trace minerals of magnesium, vitamin C and tons more"...YUM and good for you, we were off to a great start!

We had dried Papaya, Mango and Cashew Cheese, Vegan egg rolls with smoked pablanos, onions, mole and what tasted like "sweet chicken", a Kim Chi soup with wakame broth, and a tasty salad of Nappa Cabbage, wontons, and what tasted like "5 spice" chicken, as the menu expressed, with a mandarin dressing. And finally we had a faux "filet mignon" on creamy shallot mashed potatoes, with sauteed spinach and perfect red wine reduction.

We ended our meal with the absolute best "ice cream" I have ever had which was a super healthy Matcha Green Tea Gelato! Of course we ranted and raved about it so much we got to meet the man behind the ice cream machine who was so friendly and full of amazing info, I'm going to have him do a "raw foods/vegan desserts class" for me and ALL my friends. What really gets me excited is eating yummy food, especially desserts, that are actually good for your body and your waist line!

All was so super good, the only question I had as we were leaving was what was all that amazing non-meat that tasted just like meat but better??

So walking away from Kendall's raw food's class and tasting all the wonderful organic vegan food at Cafe Green and meeting all the wonderful guys behind the scenes as well as reading Joel Fuhrman's "Eat to Live" and watching a video Rachael gave me called "Eating - third edition" about FOOD being the biggest cause of disease, disabilities and death in the U.S. today, I'm starting to get it!

I realize that animal protein (both chicken and red meat equally) causes high cholesterol which in turn causes heart disease. Both red meat and chicken is linked to certain types of cancers while plant proteins reduce cholesterol and help your body build it's immune system to help protect against ALL types of cancer and raw vegetable have the most powerful anti-cancer properties of all foods.

I am learning that the nutrients in beans help ward off reproductive cancers like breast and prostate.

Eating lots of fresh fruits help protect against oral and esophageal, lung, prostate and pancreatic cancer. Fruit (especially blueberries) help prevent aging and deterioration of the brain and more than any other food, eating fruits and vegetables is linked to lowered death rates from ALL types of cancers.

I am learning that the high protein in dairy actually depletes the body of calcium and can cause osteoporosis, and dairy has been linked to lots of other problems ranging from headaches, joint pain, poor immune function to more serious problems such as breast and prostate cancers.

I am also learning that what we think is healthy for us is really just great marketing and advertising from big business and the government who receives huge sums of money from the meat and dairy industry to push their products - with little concern of the harmful effects that meat and diary have on our bodies.

I'm also learning that Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO)s or factory farms use crazy amounts of energy, cause pollution and environmental damage and the large amount of corn, soy and grains needed to feed the 10 billion animals a year that the US is slaughtering for consumption is leading to wide spread destruction of rain forests.

TAKE AWAY

What I have been eating has been completely different now - I've taken ideas from books, cafes, workshops. I bought already shredded cabbage and mixes in raw slivered almonds, sliced (julienne style) onions, carrots, and ginger, cut up fresh orange slices, and squeezed some lime and extra orange juice from the fresh orange as well as mixed in Bragg's Organic Raw Unfiltered Apple Cidar Vinegar (known to heal and energize the body). It was so good! At Trader Joe's I found Organic Broccoli slaw that had carrots in it - (raw broccoli is LOADED with vitamins including A,C, E, folate, fiber and about 7 grams of protein)

I then took a bunch of organic kale and red swiss chard, spinach (these greens are the most nutrient loaded greens out there full of cancer fighting phyto-nutrients, you name it these greens have it, vitamins A, C, K, E, B6 manganese, iron, calcium, protein, fiber, folate...

I chopped up all the greens together, added shredded carrots, tomatoes, onion, squeezed a ton of lemon and lime on it, with salt and pepper, topped with avocado. My sister turned me onto a ready to eat Fully Cooked Sprouted Brown Rice (from Trader Joes) with a seaweed and sesame seed seasoning packet in it - I topped my "raw" salad on the sprouted rice and it was AMAZING and SO healthy!

Raw Foods, Photography, Vegan cafes, Webcasts!

Let me start by saying I really have no health issues (that I know of), I have no allergies (that I'm aware of) and I am not overweight. I say this because so many people that I talked to that are on a "raw foods" diet or are vegan or vegetarian, are doing so because of health issues such as Celiac Disease which is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. People that have this disease cannot tolerate gluten (a protein in wheat, rye and barley). A lot of people have dairy allergies, an extreme case would be wheezing, diarrhea or vomiting. Lactose intolerance is different, these people lack the enzyme to help break down the sugar found in milk for proper digestion. The symptoms of lactose intolerance are bloating, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Now since I have taken dairy out of my diet (for a while - I'm not saying forever) I have had no bloating which is one issue I have always had - and was never sure why. I have to say since I have taken dairy - as well as chicken and meat out of my diet (for a while) and have eaten WAY more fruit, veggies and whole grains - my trips to the bathroom have been effortless! Constipation was another thing I always had. Needless to say I feel a lot cleaner and slimmer just from no bloating and really regular, easy breezy you know whats.

I went to a "Raw Foods" demo at my friend kimberly's house last night. Kimberly took a few pics, which I'll post (haven't done that yet on my blog). She's a great photographer as well as a raw foods nut and does beautiful portraits - check out her website at www.kimberlyportraits.com. The event was lead by Kendell Reichhart, a holistic health counselor located in Towson, Md. Check out her website at www.naturalvibranthealth.net.

The ironic thing is, about a year ago I was visiting my cousin in the Hamptons (yes it is fabulous there) and was reading their local paper "Hamptons Magazine" and there was an ad for the "Institute for Innovative Nutrition" which is a holistic nutrition education. I called about possibly enrolling, but I would have had to travel to NY on weekends and didn't feel I could pull it off at that time. Kendell got her degree there and just told me I can now do the entire certification all online - who know, I may look back into it.

I am somewhat new to "raw food" recipes. I have used a dehydrator with my neighbor and have made delicious flaxseed bread in the dehydrator (I posted that recipe on one of my previous blogs), I have juiced, but some of the recipes Kendell made I have NEVER done before. Not to mention the "Elements of Life" and "Natural Zing" products she sells/recommends such as Marine Phytoplankton that has Omegas 3, 6, 7, and 9 and 92 trace minerals, or Revitaphi, an alkalizing green powder, plus raw cacoa (chocolate) which I use a lot in my cookie recipes, goji berrie and inca berries. Another ironic thing I just started doing yoga at "LifeLine Power Yoga" with Sid McNairy (a great, challenging flow yoga (www.lifelinepoweryoga.com) and Kendell happens to be in the same building on Allegheny in Towson. Ironic and convenient!

Ok some of the recipes! Green Smoothie - so healthy, I had this morning and had a ton of energy for my 3 fitness classes today! In a blender put in Kale, cucumber, celery, avocado, apple, coconut water, green powder, vanilla protein powder (I think she used brown rice protein powder) and you can add in Spirulina, blue-green algae, hemp seeds, maca....) we'll talk more about those items!

I made this morning with avocado, kale, apple, pomegranate coconut water and hemp protein powder and it was great - I felt so healthy eating all that raw kale and really felt satisfied until lunch!

The raw burritos was something I have never made, brought one home to my husband last night and he loved! The "meat" was 1 cup walnuts (soaked overnight) blended with sun dried tomatoes (soaked for 1 hour), fresh tomatoes, chili powder, 1/4 onion, celtic sea salt, and olive oil. The "sour cream" was 1 cup cashews (soaked for 2+hours), celtic sea salt, 3 tbsp lemon juice - blended until creamy - and she added fresh guacamole and homemade salsa wrapped in a big collard green leaf (as the wrap) - go amazing!!!

Not to mention the raw fudge balls with coconut oil (which I just bought), raw cacao, maca, agave, gogi berries and cocoa nibs....

TAKE AWAY:

On my way out to a preview dinner at (soon to be open) "CAFE GREEN" an organic, vegan restaurant in DC with my new friend that I met at the "Yabba Pot", another vegan cafe in Baltimore. My friend Jimmy is the manager at Cafe Green and he was the producer for "The VideoMakers" a webcast I was in last year. You can check all the episodes of the Video Makers (I play the part of Amanda) on www.thevideomakers.tv or on YouTube key word "The Videomakers".

What's in My Pantry Now?

I definitely cleaned out my pantry and have changed a lot of what I am putting in my body. I was using real butter for a long time because I thought the purer the better. I read it is rich in lauric acid (helps treat fungal infections), has absorbable Vitamin A, contains anti-oxidants, Vitamin E , D, K, and selenium and the saturated fats have strong anti-tumor and anti cancer properties. I also read that it protects against tooth decay and has conjugated linoleic acid which is an anti-cancer agent. So we NEVER used margarine because it is processed and hydrogenated. Now I am still flirting with staying away from animal products and seeing how my body reacts so I have stayed away from butter for now. But if you are going to eat butter - get butter made from "grass fed cows"( a much healthier option) - not corn fed cows shot up with hormones and anti-biotics! A few brands I came upon are Anchorr, President, Kerrygold and Lescure.

Now that being said, I bought (to try for a bit) "Earth Balance" soy free natural buttery spread made from natural vegetable oils, it has no trans fats or hydrogenated oils. They have organic, vegan, soy and dairy blends as well - it is blended to help improve a person's ratio of "good" HDL levels to "Bad" LDL levels with lower grams of saturated fat. I compared labels of "earth's balance" to my "Organic Valley Organic salted Butter". Calories are the same (100 per 1 tablespoon) Fat grams are the same (11g per 1 tablespoon) both have no trans fats, but saturated fat in the earth's balance is 2.5 grams vs. butter's 7 grams and earth balance has 0mg cholesterol vs. 30mg in butter. So if you are watching cholesterol and saturated fat, the "earth's balance" may be a better choice.

I also have "Vita Spelt" whole grain spelt pasta in my pantry, "Ancient Harvest" Quinoa - which according to it's package contains more high quality protein than any other grain and is a complete protein providing all the essential amino acids and is wheat free and gluten free. My newest find which I love is called "GO RAW" apple cinnamon granola which has sprouted all organic buckwheat groats, flax seeds, sesame seeds, apples, agave nectar and cinnamon as well as "Go Raw" Organic simple seed mix - I bought the pumpkin and sunflower seed mix - 9 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber in 1 ounce. I'm not eating 3 bowls of the granola in one sitting because it is high in fat and calories but is so healthy and has 7 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein.

Another thing my kids are doing for me (for a small fee) is juicing! They just juiced apples, beets, ginger and carrots for me - with a little lemon - so good and healthy! Beets are known to cleanse and support the liver, they are rich in beta carotene, zinc, vitamin C and chromium. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, and apples are rich in pectin which is a soluble type of fiber, the pectin works with the Vitamin C in the apples as well to help carry cholesterol out of the blood.

My kids now juice oranges, apples and carrots for themselves - a small victory!

Take Away:

Going to a raw foods workshop tomorrow - will write about that for sure!

Found a Nutrient Fruit chart online - check out this site

http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/fruit-nutrition-chart.html