Sample of a Breakfast and Dinner meal:

Breakfast

1 cup warm water w/ tsp of lemon
2 strips of turkey bacon - seasoned w/crushed red pepper & black pepper - cooked in     cast iron skillet
2 slices of french toast - 100% whole wheat bread - cooked in stainless steel skillet
                                        1 egg
                                        orange juice instead of milk
                                        cinnamon
                                        brown sugar
                                        country crock spread
                                        blue agave
8 oz Smoothie made in blinder - 1 banana, fresh
                                                     1 lg leaf of kale, fresh, raw
                                                     2 tbs ground flax seeds
                                                     2 tbs wheat germ
                                                     5 strawberries, frozen
                                                     hand-full of blueberries, frozen
                                                     hand-full of blackberries, frozen
                                                     hand-full of raspberries, frozen
                                                     hand-full of cranberries, fresh
                                                     orange juice to cover bottom (simply brand)

Dinner

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (organic, free range) - baked in glass pyrex
                      w/ turmeric, thyme, garlic, rosemary
crimini mushrooms - saute' in stainless steel skillet w/ onions, rosemary, soy sauce
rainbow swill chard - saute' in stainless steel skillet w/ 6 kalamata olives, garlic,
                                  sea salt, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil
8 oz glass of water
2 slices of 100% whole wheat bread - toasted in oven on broil w/ mozzarella cheese,
                                   garlic, extra virgin olive oil

Dessert

small bowl of Haagen Dazs vanilla frozen yogurt (live & active cultures) w/ tbs of
                                   Hershey's Dark Chocolate

Food Combining
I had never experienced what foods should or should not go with what.  In checking the chart I can see where I have been eating proteins and carbohydrates together.  I also eat fruit with my meals or after my meal. What I found on food combining states that fruit should be eaten alone or on an empty stomach.  I see now that the role of the fruit is to cleanse the digestive tract and prepare the digestive tract to absorb the nutrients of the main meal.

pH Alkaline vs Acidic
The majority of the meals were under the alkalizing category.  However, the acidifying foods weighed heavy.  Using the Alkalizing vs Acidifying Foods & Lifestyle chart, I counted up how many times I used a food, seasoning, etc in each column.  Then I multiplied the number I got in each column with the number rating for that column.  Next, I added the numbers together, then dividing to get my percentage.
Alkalizing  +59
Acidifying  -23
                 +82          +59  divide by +82  =  71% Alkalizing

ORAC
I got most of the ORAC values for antioxidants in the meal:
Cinnamon     267,536
Turmeric       159.277
Black Pepper  27,618
Thyme            27,426
Cranberries     9,584
Agave              7,274
Blueberries     6,552
Blackberries   5,347
Garlic              5,346
Raspberries    4,882
Strawberries    3,577
Lemon Juice    1,225
Onion               1,220
EVO Oil            1,150
Banana                879
Orange Juice       726

Fiber
Listed below are many of the foods included in the two meals.
Flax Seeds   5.4 g                   Wheat Germ   8.2g
Raspberries  8.0g                   Strawberries   3.8g
Banana          2.8g                   Blueberries      3.92g
Kale               2.6g                   Whole Wheat Bread  3.8g
Swiss Chard 3.7g                   Crimini Mushrooms   .9g
Cranberries   1.99g                 Orange Juice    3.1g                
                                                    
Refined Sugar
I used brown sugar in the french toast, which was not very much (about a tsp).  And the orange juice may have been a half cup so I will estimate about 22 grams of sugar.

Calorie Analysis
The breakfast calories were 1733, which is high.  Riding my bike at 10mph for an hour would burn 492 calories.  So for this meal I would need to ride for 3.5 hours to burn the calories.
The dinner calories were 431, which seem to be a huge different.  Riding my bike after this meal for an hour would keep me fit and trim.


Energetics
My meditation after breakfast was a short walk outside.  It was a sunny 32degrees day.  Then I sat inside looking out at the water, feeling "ready" for my day.  I could not feel any discomfort as I scanned my body.   . The breakfast was sweet with all the fruit and french toast.  This meal was grounding and earthy which is energizing to my spleen, pancreas and stomach.
The dinner was a combination of bitter, which responses to the heart.  Spicy, which energizes the lungs and large intestines.  And also salty, engaging the kidneys and bladder. After dinner I was alert, but ready to chill out.  I still had energy but was ready to slow down and reflect over the day.

Resources:
The World's Healthiest Foods book, George Mateljan
Alkalizing vs Acidifying Foods & Lifestyle Chart
http://www.alderbrooke.com/images/food-combining-chart-back.jpg
ORAC value chart online
www.nutritiondata.com

Patricia

The Burger That Doesn't Rot...

week 1

week 2

week 3

Fast Food Experiment:  McDonald's Cheese Burger




On day 1 ...   to the end of week 3

* no change in appearance
* week 2 bread started to get harder
* end of week 3 the smell started to change a little
* meat on the inside showed not changes
* my guess - if I put it into the microwave to heat it, it would look as if I just purchased it.


How would this impact my health?

* reflux - heartburn
* stomach pains during digestion process
* delayed, stagnant digestion while compromising artery
* sluggish, weak and life less feeling due to lack of nutrients
* headache
* gas and constipation from over processed toxic substance

Patricia

3 Day Food Diary:

Day 1

7am  Breakfast - 1 cup of warm water w/ tsp of lemon juice
                          2 strips of turkey bacon w/ black & red pepper
                          1 grapefruit w/ organic blue agave sweetener
                          2 slices of whole wheat toast w/ a little country crock spread
     Emotion - calm, refreshed, ready for the day

11am  Lunch - Fruit Smoothie made w/ strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, raw kale,
                                              flax seeds, wheat germ & orange juice
                       Grill Cheese Sandwich w/ cheddar cheese on whole wheat bread
    Emotion - excited, looking forward to the rest of the day

7pm Dinner - Homemade Pizza on wheat naan bread w/ olive oil, tomatoes sauce, garlic, parsley, rosemary,
                                               shiitake mushrooms, kalamata olives, artichokes, mozzarella cheese, black &
                                               red pepper
                     Water
     Emotion - relaxed, ready to rest

Snacks in between meals - Banana, Peanut Butter Crackers, Water

Day 2

7:30am  Breakfast - Bowl of Cereal - shredded wheat, granola, sesame seeds, flax seeds & walnuts
                               Fruit Smoothie made w/ kale, pineapples, strawberries, flax seeds, wheat germ
                                                      & orange juice
     Emotion - well rested and ready for a new day

1pm  Lunch - Chinese Buffet; 2 plates of food w/ mixture of rice, greens beans, sweet & sour chicken,
                                            broccoli, black beans, mixed vegetables & egg rolls
                     Water
     Emotion - pleasant, good company, good conversation

5 pm Dinner - Chicken Breast baked w/ garlic & rosemary, olive oil
                      Rainbow Swiss Chard w/ onions & olives
                      Water
     Emotion - very relaxed from very productive day

7pm  Dessert - 3 small ginger cookies & frozen vanilla yogurt (w/ live cultures)
     Emotion - peaceful

Snacks in between meals - Banana, Green Tea, Trail Mix, Water

Day 3

7am  Breakfast - 1 cup of warm water w/ tsp of lemon juice
                          2 slices of French Toast made w/ whole wheat bread, 1 egg, orange juice & cinnamon
                          2 strips of turkey bacon w/ black and red pepper
                          1 glass of orange juice
     Emotion - refreshed, alert

12:30  Lunch - Black Beans, rice, peppers, onions, corn tomatoes, garlic
                        Water
     Emotion - a little excited, busy feeling

5pm  Dinner - Salmon; quick boil w/ garlic
                      Salad w/ spinach, mixed greens, carrots, heart of palm, artichokes, olives w/ olive oil
                      Sweet Potato plain
                      Garlic Bread
                      Water
     Emotion - excited about the holidays, relaxed

7:30 Dessert - Raspberry Sorbet
                       1/2 of a Dark Chocolate candy bar
     Emotion - happy

Snacks in between meals - pomegranate apple, almonds, granny smith apple, water

*times were rounded to nearest 30min intervals


            

Raw Diet

Diet Research:  Raw Diet

Pros
  * Vitamins are not depleted as they can be in cooking.
  * Body gets natural health benefits from eating live "raw" food.
  * Very little prep time, clean-up time or cooking supplies needed.
  * Lowers the amount of free radicals found in cells, which lowers risk of disease.
  * Better for the environment, encourages compost usage & organic farming.
  * Save natural resources; no big equipment, factories, chain food suppliers needed.
  * Saves on money

Cons
  * Overeating acidic fruits eats away at tooth enamel.
  * Rely on dried fruit & excess causes digestive and flatulence (gas) problems.
  * High fat content with lots of avocados, nuts and oils.
  * Headaches, nausea, diarrhea, rashes & body odor (should only last few weeks).
  * Always feeling hungry; sometimes misunderstood - maybe lack of nutrients.
  * Lost of muscle tone if not regular exercise; weight below normal - undernourished.
  * Vitamin B-12 deficiency.
  * Some people don't feel the need to brush their teeth because the fruit cleans them.
  * Decrease in sex drive.

Humans are the only species on earth to heat their food.  And due to their diets and lifestyles choices, humans generally live less then half of their life span potential.  Consuming an abundance of fresh fruits and raw vegetables are very beneficial to the human body.  However, that is not the total answer to living a longer, healthier life.  Cooking increases the nutrients in some foods and makes digestion easier.  Flavor is enhanced and contamination is decreased with cooking.  Variety and balance, alkalizing and acidifying in moderation, safe cooking and raw foods are all needed for healthy eating.  No one food or single diet with a strict way of preparing, will give the human body all the necessary nutrients of sustaining life to its optimal potential.

Patricia

Reflecting...

Wow!!!  12 weeks has made a huge impact on my life.  What I have learned in this Nutrition class has already changed the future of my family.  Each week I have shared my new awearness with my daughter, my sister and have been planting seeds of nutrtion in daily conversation.  Dr. Henele really reached me with his passion and knowledge of Nutrition.  His excitement is contagious.  I am not yet were I want to be, but I plan to continue growing and pacing myself into the life changes that will provide me with optimal health.  I am feeling better about myself, what I eat and how I eat it.  Life taste good :-)

Patricia

Years of Minerals are missing...

"Every sickness, every disease, every ailment can be traced to a mineral deficiency."
Dr. Linus Pauling, two-time Nobel Prize winner

www.foodasgrown.com/minerals

Today's foods have less minerals then the amount we would have received 100 years ago.  Less minerals in our food means a lack of nutrients which leads to mineral deficiency causing a poor quality of health.  These minerals, coming from the earth, relied on the richness of soil to perform at their peak.  Soil gets depleted of minerals and need to be fertilized in order to put the nutrients back into the earth.  100 years ago when the soil became depleted, there was only a small amount of nutrients put back into the soil when it was fertilized.  Today, the same type of fertilizer is still used on many soils where food is grown and we are eating.  At this time there are about 80 different types of elements that are lacking in many soils that are needed to give food its full nutrients. 

Minerals play a major role in the cells, bones and blood in the human body.  Health problems can develop due to prolonged deficiency of minerals.  As an example, minerals are alkaline and many minerals reduce stress, having a calming, relaxed reaction as the body metabolizes it.  Manganese, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium are a few minerals that ease tension.  Cancer, Arthritis, Depression and Hypertension can all benefit from a healthier diet with a variety of vitamins and minerals.  Getting the best quality of foods on the table will be helpful in providing the best health.  A good place to start would be with top quality fertilizer which creates a better soil.  Which takes us back to the beginning...years of minerals are missing.

Patricia

More Good Food...

Update on Refrigerator and Cabinet

From taking the Nutrition 110 class, there are many things that I am doing different to bring a healthier balance into my life.  Some changes are as simlple as, I am storing my nuts and seeds in the refrigerator.  Fresh, organic and buying from local farmers is my goal.  I am driving further to find quality food which is sustaining the quality of my life.  There are new foods, seasonings, cooking methods, storing and selecting processes that I am implementing into my everyday live.  I am more aware of the vitamins and minerals that I'm consuming and where I am lacking.  Being healthy is a choice for me so I use food as medicine.  Not everything edible has quality nutrients that will benefit the human body in a productive way.  Therefore; reading labels, buying fresh, in season, local, organic, quality, proper storage, preparing with love and safe cookware are some of what goes into the planning of what I decide to eat.

Patricia

:-) Vitamins.....

There are water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins, which are all complex qualities in the food that we eat.  These vitamins are essential to human life.  The water-soluble vitamins are B-complex which encompasses all the B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12). These water-soluble vitamin are not stored in the body, therefore the human body requires a replenishing of them daily.  The fat-soluble vitamins are vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K.  The human body can store these vitamin in the adipose tissue (mainly around the liver and abdominal area) just in case the daily recommended nutrients are not being supplied.

I find the topic of vitamins is so exciting!  It's like a blueprint or mapping to help the necessary vitamins do their job of keeping us healthy.  I have found that as I gravitate to certain foods, (the ones that taste best to me or come natural as a creature of habit) I am receiving an abundance of a particular group of vitamins.  While my body may be lacking a few major vitamins that are essential for my health.  This nutrition class has really opened my mind to more vitamin possibilities.  I find myself checking for foods that have more of the vitamins that I feel my body is telling me it needs according the symptoms that can lead to deficiency.

In looking over my food diary, making note of the number of times I am eating certain foods, I can look at the vitamins that I am blessing my body with and see where I am lacking.  There is no doubt that I am receiving more vitamins then before this class started.  My refrigerator is cleaner, not as cluttered and smells better.  I am going to the store more offend because I want to make sure I am getting fresh items as I need or want them.  I am also driving a little further to find the best quality that I can in my area.  My bowel pattern was not an issue before, however I feel that I am going less because I am eating less.  My mood seems lighter, body is thanking me and I sleep well.  Many times I fall asleep thinking of food and what I'm going to cook next.  I have been sharing what I am learning with my daughter, she's a senior in college and is absorbing it all in.  She sends me pictures of what she is cooking in her dorm.  Also, my sister and a friend are planning to take this class online.  Wow! Who knew vitamins would excite me :-)

Patricia Couser

Fiber Facts

• Fiber promotes bowel regularity with an increased size and completeness in the feces.  With daily fiber in the diet, there is an decrease in the amount of time that the fecal matter is in the intestines.  Which improves health, helps prevent and decrease the risk of colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome,  hemorrhoids, obesity and constipation. 
• Soluble Fiber that is found in oat bran and barley help reduce blood cholesterol levels and reduce blood sugar levels.
• Insoluble Fiber that is found in wheat bran and legumes require extra chewing in order to utilize adequate biochemical health benefits.
• Too much daily Fiber or an intake of over 50 grams a day may cause a fluid imbalance, dehydration or intestinal obstruction in some people.  An excessive increase in Fiber maybe approached gradually and with an increase of water intake.

My 5 Interesting Facts about Protein

1.  The word Protein is an ancient Greek word that means "greatest importance" and in the Encyclopedia of Healing Foods book it says the Greek word means "primary".  Webster's Dictionary reminds us that protein is "occurring in all living matter and essential to diet."  This is nothing new, just interesting to help promote protein with an "aha" moment in a debate I had about what the human body can live with or without.

2.  Proteins are small molecules that are the amino acids that are necessary to sustain life.  I have found some contradicting information on the number of amino acids that the body can manufacture, the non-essential amino acids, which has been between 9-14.  The other 10, which are called "essential amino acids", must be obtained from a person's nutritional diet.

3.  Some of what the amino acids help in is proper development of cell tissue, muscle tissue, repairing damaged tissue, defending the body against illness and disease, regulates hormones, healing wounds, carrying nutrients and enzymes and  maintaining the body's optimal health.  Therefore consuming the healthiest, top quality, organic nutrients on a daily basis will help insure the best quality of health for your body.

4.  Proteins makeup about 1/2 of the non-water portion of the human body.

5.  The more active a lifestyle a person has, the faster the proteins will breakdown in the body.  The faster the proteins breakdown, the more an active person needs to consume more protein back into their body because proteins are not stored in the body like fat is.

Alkalizing vs Acidifying

Diet Total to Date:  +90

To Date:  75% Alkalizing

Analyzing my diet with pH was very interesting and I still have room to grow and learn in this area.  My results were positive and some of my foods may have been acidifying but I believe my healthy emotions made up for that.  Most of my diet is organic and I am doing better with that each day.  I will continue on my path to health and wellness to bring my body to a neutral balance.

Namaste,
Patricia

Some of what I have been eating :-)

Viewing of "Food Inc." and "Future of Food"

It was most shocking to think that as a citizen, we are protected to go into a public food store or restaurant and purchase food for our human consumption only to realize what we are purchasing could kill us, even though it has been stamped approved by our government.  Just because a person or company may put together some ingredients of any quality, paint a pretty picture on it and sell it as edible for consumption does not mean you should eat it.  Some people may buy questionable food that does not kill them today or next week, so because it was cheap, quick and tasted well enough to sustain them for the moment, they are likely to buy it again.  But over time it is a slow death that becomes quicker has the food factories increase.

Anytime a worm can die from eating corn that is still in the field, because of the insecticides that are on it...how can that be safe for a person to eat?  And how sad is it that a farmer can lose his crops, land and business because the wind blew someone's seeds onto his land?  If genetically modified food is said to be safe, why not put labeling on it so that I can make a conscious decision on whether I want to eat it or not?  This is the year 2010, which direction in your life do you want to go?  I am not placing any judgment, this is just a little of my "organic" thoughts.

Nice to see Happy/Natural Animals after viewing "Food Inc."

Food Contents