Grocery Shopping 101 - Two Ingredients to Avoid

I friend of mine recently asked me to start doing some posts to help her change her grocery purchases to healthier alternatives.  As I warned her, this needs to be done in "baby steps". if you do this all at once there is very little likelihood of it becoming a habit, and a very high likelihood you'll go back to your old ways.

For my first post, I'll cover two big things to eliminate from your diet as much as possible.  Among other side effects, both are considered excitotoxins, i.e. things that cause dain bramage (oh, oops brain damage).  I'm only hitting the highlights, and if you want to know more a quick internet search will quickly reinforce why you want to avoid these ingredients.

ALL ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED -  TODAY!

That's right and I mean it!  There is absolutely nothing good about artificial sweeteners and list of bad stuff is the longest on the FDA list of complaints.  They are neuro-toxins and have been linked to migraines, kidney stones, Alzheimer, depression and a host of other ills.  Ironically, THEY EVEN CAN MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT.  I hear you saying "How? They are zero calorie.", They are also appetite enhancers, i.e. they make you hungry so you eat more.  That should nail the coffin of excuses as to why you can't eliminate today, so JUST DO IT.

If you are looking for a zero calorie sweetener that is safe and readily available, try STEVIA and if you're just looking for a low-glycemic alternative, try raw AGAVE.  Agave is my personal choice; it works great in warm and cold beverages and also in baking.  For a natural zero calorie soda pop try Zevia, they do a good job of imitating the major flavors (especially Dr. Pepper).

MSG - MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein) YUCK!

This is seasoning used to "blend flavors" in foods to make you eat more. It's the same reason why bars historically have free salty peanuts. Thirsty patrons drink more product. Besides the negative effects on the brain and other parts of the body, its scientifically linked to obesity.  You'll find it most commonly in highly processed foods and fast food restaurants.  Its notorious side-effects are becoming so well known that many restaurants have signs proudly stating that their restaurant is "MSG Free" and even those that don't will usually prepare your meal without MSG if you ask.

It hides under a number of other names (that alone should make you wonder):

' hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed protein; hydrolyzed plant extract, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, yeast extract, texturized protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed oat flour, calcium caseinate.'  also 'Accent' and 'Natural Meat Tenderizer'

Basically, there is absolutely no reason to eat it, so avoid it whenever possible!  Think of this as the first step to a healthier you.  If you eliminate the foods you buy with MSG in it you'll also be eliminating the foods that have a lot of other ingredients you want to avoid.

"Most Beautiful Girl" turns Six Months

When Amber was born we received a CD called "Slugs, Bugs and Lullabies" as a gift.  The boys absolutely adore the songs, and frankly Chris and I think they are rather silly too.  The lyrics to one of the songs is "Most beautiful girl in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD", the boys have it memorized and we all end up singing it to her.  Another song they like to sing to her starts like this "You've got to burp, burp, chicken wiggle....don't spit-up, don't spit-up....".

Her Cleopatra pose.

Zoom!  Goes the baby!  Check out this video done a few weeks ago and you'll see what we mean.

She made sure to perfect her skill since this video and is very mobile.  She apparently feels babies should be competent crawlers by age six months. I wonder what she thinks about walking?

She seemed to know a big milestone was coming this week.  We lowered her crib on Saturday, just in time for her to stand up in it on Sunday.  Chris was playing peek-a-boo and next thing he knew she pulled herself up to find him.  Sunday was also the day that she started sitting up regularly on her own.  Like Chris always says, "We give birth to toddlers.".

He vocal range is amazing too.  So many different sounds and bubbles coming out all the time.  Yet one we seldom hear is a wail or a scream of frustration.  She is very patient, sometimes I come up to check on her because I haven't heard anything on the monitor in a while and I'll find her playing quietly in her crib.  When she sees me she just looks up, smiles, coos and often keeps playing with her blanket or her buddy.  It's nice.

She weighed in at 17.6 lbs and measured 27.25 in.  At her current rate, she has almost outgrown her saucer before she should have started using it, according to the great "They".

Divergent Thinking

This a presentation by Sir Ken Robinson called:

"Changing Education Paradigms"

 

He has a very unique method of presentation which would be reason enough to watch the video.  However, in addition to its uniqueness, the arguments presented are thorough, logical and humorous.

Do I have your curiosity hooked yet? 

In his presentation he illustrates:

• The driving forces behind the creation of public education; i.e. workers for the industrial revolution
• Despite the world changing from the time of the industrial revolution the structure of public education has not
• ADHD Epidemic?
• The longer our children are in school the less intelligent they become
• The ills of standardized testing
• What needs to be done to change schools to better prepare children for the future.

Health - Chris' Diet

*DISCLAIMER:  I am not a doctor or health care professional of any kind, please consult your doctor before making any diet changes.

There, now I feel better and that should appease our litigious society. :-/

Diet (noun): food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health.

The word diet has come to have a very negative connotation to it in the past decades. The word is now synonymous with people starving themselves to reach some "weight goal" or by saying "I can't eat that, I'm dieting". A diet for us is merely a food plan to help us reach optimal health.

In a previous post, I explained why we started tweaking our diet and our goal has always been one of "optimum health".  I tweak Chris' diet the most because he is physically active and receptive to it. It gives me someone to experiment on before trying it myself. :-)

MORNING INTAKE: 

ALIVE PEA PROTEIN WHOLE FOOD SHAKE:  He mixes this with about 12 oz of So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk and a serving of Living Harvest Hemp Protein.  This shake provides all his daily vitamins.  I'm pleased to say that they recently improved the formula to include more Vitamin D, more organic foods and less carbohydrates.  I add the extra protein via the Hemp, because with Chris living an active lifestyle and being a vegetarian, protein is important to Chris' diet.  Pea and Hemp are the two most complete and most absorbent proteins as I previously noted.

 

BLUEBONNET LIQUID CALCIUM WITH VITAMIN D3:  Chris has become lactose intolerant over the past decade, therefore a calcium supplement is in order.  I chose this one because it has the highest ELEMENTAL calcium.  Elemental is a key word to look for in choosing a calcium supplement.  Elemental is the amount of the calcium in the product that your body will actually use.  If they don't list the elemental amount, assume that it's not much.  The product is flavored with fructose, which is not ideal, but it's such a small percentage overall, I'm not worried about it and I think its better than sodium benzoate.

KOMBUCHA - AKA THE ELIXIR OF LIFE:  This not just a drink but a raw food and will fill you up with good stuff and good feelings.  It has the energizing effects of caffeine without the downside, lots of B Vitamins (happy vitamins!) and loads of probiotics and very few calories.  Great for the colon in two ways: decreases food cravings and keeps the internal environment healthy.

CHIA SEEDS*:  Yes, this is the same stuff used to grow "Chia Pets". Who knew it was a really healthy food also!  This serves a similar purpose as the Kombucha but approaches things in a different way.  It fills you up and energizes you at the same time. Nutritionally, it brings different benefits in copious amounts of Omega 3, fiber, and protein.  Most western diets are too high in Omega 6, which increases inflammation in the body, and too low in Omega 3, which decreases inflammation. Chia seeds are a great way to balance out your diet. For weight loss, it's reported to specifically help with eliminating fat along the waist line.  The only downside I've found is that it helps lower blood pressure and when used in conjunction with medication, blood pressure can become too low. Chris mixes 1 tbsp with 8 oz of water and lets it turn to gel (about 5-10 minutes, shaking occasionally), then drinks it down. When cold, it has very little, if any, taste. Chia seeds can also be sprinkled on food of any kind.  We use the Whole Foods brand from the bulk container - it's the cheapest and also raw and organic.

MID MORNING SNACK, LUNCH AND MID AFTERNOON SNACK:

DRIED MANGO AND TRUFFLE ALMONDS (measured/weighed each day to control calories - about 40 grams each): We grab these from the Whole Foods bulk bins. Very yummy.

AMAZING GRASS BERRY BAR:  These are a full serving of veggies, greens, raw, vegan, soy-free, alkaline, etc.

AMAZING GRASS CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BAR:  This is another serving of veggies but does include Whey protein. I'm hoping they'll switch to hemp soon like they use in their other products.  Both bars are very filling, nutritious and low in calories and also very tasty.

HARD BOILED EGG (Organic with Omega 3), an organic apple (fuji or gala), and more Chia soon once he is home. It provides a great boost after his ride home and fuels him for the attack of the kids, baseball, and whatever life throws at him in the early evening.

DINNER: Right now, nursing Amber requires me to eat very, very bland, therefore Chris is eating bland too.  I'll post more about this when the dinner recipes are a bit more interesting :-)  In the mean time, it might be worth your time to sign up for Amazing Grass Two Week Challenge.  They have two weeks of healthy meal ideas and daily emails about different health topics. It's not an MLM and I have nothing to gain from this suggestion. Amazing Grass has great products and awesome customer service.  I wish it was an MLM with all the people I now know using their products at our suggestion. It would supplement our income nicely. :-)

NOTE ON SUPPLEMENTS:  My research indicates that supplements and vitamins are best when derived from whole foods and/or in liquid form.  When not available in that form, look for vegetarian/Kosher capsules, as some of the ingredients in binders and capsules can be animal based and actually hinder absorption or neutralize the effects.

In the Saddle for the First Time

Today was Jared's first horseback riding lesson at Westwood Farms.  It went great!  The facility was beautiful and clean and the horses were well maintained. 

We arrived a little early so we had time to wander around a bit.  Chris took the morning off work and we brought the entire crew. We said "Hello" to the horses in the stalls and took a little walk on the dock.  From there, we saw a frog sitting on a lily pad and a water snake come up from the deep and eat a minnow.  Our day would normally have been complete at that point, but we had a horse lesson coming!

The first part of Jared's session was spent teaching him how to prepare his horse for riding.  I really like this part, as it teaches many lessons besides riding, including self-control and a work ethic. After they get the hang of it they can come early and do this part themselves and they will have more time for riding, which I think is a great lesson in itself.

The horse he rode was a 25 year old retired racing thoroughbred named "Ripple".  The first thing Jared learned to do was how to brush Ripple down, then how to clean out his hooves. One thing we learned is racing horses have an identification number tattooed inside the upper lip. This number can be used to look up Ripple's information and racing record.

Next Jared learned how to put the saddle and bridle on and Ripple wasn't real fond of this. After 25 years one would think he'd be used to it.

Jared did a great job of listening to instruction and I think it will really motivate him to do his push-ups and build his upper body strength.  Those hooves are heavy.

Now it was time to mount the horse.  I really liked how Steve (his instructor) was patient yet persistent with Jared.  Helping him understand in different ways how to do what he asked instead of doing it for Jared.  

Steve attached a lunge lead to the horse and they began some balance exercises.  In addition to upper body strength, the riding will help him build core strength too.

Now this is where I thought the lesson would stop.  I thought Jared would walk around on the lead for a while and the lesson would eventually end.  I was completely wrong.

Within a few minutes, I heard Steve telling Jared the basics of posting and how to get Ripple to start trotting.  The first time Ripple trotted, Jared bounced around and said "I feel like my insides are in a washing machine" and Steve laughed.  Steve then worked more on the mechanics of posting to counter-act that feeling.  Okay, I thought, that was a surprise but I'm sure this is what they'll work on the rest of the lesson.

Nope wrong again! Much to my surprise he took the lead rope off and told Jared to start walking Ripple around the very large ring (which, by the way, is only fenced in on three sides -- insert images of Jared being swept away on a runaway race horse here....).  I was very surprised, and I realized after I got home that I just stared and forgot to take pictures!  Jared did awesome.  He even managed to turn Ripple when Ripple thought going back into the barn seemed like a nicer idea than staying in the ring.

At the end of the lesson, he learned how to take off the tack, clean and groom his horse and properly put him back in the stall. A job well done.

Steve told them they could give treats to some of the horses in the adjoining paddocks and Lance helped groom Ripple a bit at the end. Jared was tired and rightfully so.

To say the lesson was thorough was an understatement. The lesson far exceeded my expectations and I look forward to continuing and I think Jared does too.  There's a great feeling of accomplishment in learning to control such a large animal and having a chance to bond as you groom him and give him treats.

Five Fireman and a Rainforest

Time sure does fly and this is a "catch up blog" of things I've been meaning to write about but haven't had the chance.

Amber is now FIVE months old.  She is beautiful and so aware.  She turns to her name and her nick name "piggy, piggy, piggy" so we might have to cut back on its use.  She started scooting early in the month, backwards only at first, like her brother Lance.  Now she is rather mobile now, scooting and rolling where she wants to go very quickly.

At Jared's last Cub Scout den meeting, they had the pleasant surprise of finding out they were going on a tour of the new downtown Fire Station that night.  Luckily Chris had decided to bring Titus to the meeting that night.  The two boys were in awe and I'm proud to say, according to their father, extremely well behaved.  Jared and Titus both are fascinated with FIREMEN.  On a related side note, there is a fire pole at our neighborhood playground, and Jared was so relieved to learn how to go down the fire pole at the park this month. Its difficult to coordinate all those long appendages.

For our boys' birthday parties, we prefer small events to create special memories rather than large parties.  This year Lance chose to take on the Advanced RAINFOREST course at ZoomAir this year.  Zoom Air is a ropes course up in the trees at the zoo.  The Rainforest includes some really high and long zip-lines and takes place at least 30 feet up in the air.  Chris, Lance and Matthew tackled the course for two hours together the Sunday after his birthday.  Lance led out the group and the boys never flinched at conquering each new obstacle.  Chris said he was happy to go last (Hee, Hee).  They had an absolute blast!