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