3.28
We live in a world full of information and mis-information. If there is one things I've learned in my six-year wellness journey, it is to question everything. Assume nothing and don't trust common sense and accepted wisdom. For all the volumes of health information available to us, very little of it empowers us as individuals to discern what is best for our wellness and longevity.
For me it started years ago with 'Eat to Live' by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, which opened up all kinds of wellness and nutritional concepts which continue to inform me to this day. Then there was "The Science of Natural Healing," from The Great Courses, which further opened my view of what happens in our bodies nutritionally, and how simple (counter-cultural) choices will greatly improve our health and life.
If I hadn't been willing to open up my thinking and question what defines real food, I'd still be eating Pop Tarts and ice cream every day. I know I can turn the migraines, muscle and joint pains, and digestive issues on and off based on my nutritional choices.
Instead, I accepted the challenge of looking differently, even radically, at my pantry and wellness. Changing my thinking has changed my life. Through lots of questioning, I now know how sensitive my metabolism is to corn, nightshade vegetables, dairy and wheat. I know I can turn on health issues by having high-glycemic foods, and also that I can live pain-free and full-of-energy by eating clean. How cool is that?!
So, how's your journey and your pantry? Have you tried reading labels and questioning common knowledge about what constitutes food, and what is really healthful for our bodies? If you haven't, maybe today is your day. What can seem radical and health-nutty can quickly become a life-changing step in the right direction. Then it just takes another step and another... and a bit more reading and bit more curiosity and a bit more questioning. Soon enough, you will likely gain momentum on your own course toward wellness.
By the Way
One other wellness conviction that is very compelling to me is that there is no money in healthy people... follow the money, and you soon realize our government and society has a vested interest in peddling disease and failing health. I know that sounds super-cynical (and I'm not a conspiracy theorist) but if you follow the money it is evident that health and wellness don't help create jobs and commerce and make cash flow in our western world. For me, I'd rather be counter-cultural and healthy :o)
3.24
I have a co-worker who is super-healthy and vegan. He understands the value of nutrient-dense foods and a plant-based diet, and we have frequent conversations about what's new (to us) in healthy choices and recipes.
The other day he sent me several articles about protein and how much misinformation is out there about needing lots of protein in our diet. The research was gathered and supported by Gatorade and focused a lot on how even committed athletes don't need nearly the amount of protein that conventional wisdom indicates.
This misinformation is systemic in our western culture, and it doesn't look like it will get better anytime soon. The truth is, a plant-based diet rich in veggies, fruits, healthy grains, nuts and seeds will far outpace a protein-rich diet focused on dairy and animal proteins.
I often say that if we lived on the plains of Kansas in the 1800's we'd be incredibly grateful for a cow and her milk, some chickens and their eggs, and maybe a couple of pigs if we were really blessed. At least with a small barn yard, we would have some calorie-dense meats that would nourish our family consistently. And some fresh grains and produce thrown in, and we might even prosper.
But we don't live in the 1800's, and we have so many options for healthy food buying and eating, we have no excuse to get this wrong. The bigger issue is changing the message. We still have an archaic centralized government message telling us that dairy is essential to our health (especially brainwashing our kids in public school) and supporting big meat industry messages and sales volumes to a willing public.
I get that there is nothing more savory than the smell and taste of grilled meat. Throw in some salt and garlic, and hey, how can something that tastes this good be bad for you?! In small, occasional amounts and meals? No problem. But at the exorbitant rate that western culture eats meat protein, we write our own prescription for disease and untimely demise.
If you aren't convinced, do your own research. Check out Dr. Joel Fuhrman and Dr. Dean Ornish, and web resources like MindBodyGreen. We live with food-abundance like never before, and with extensive information available, we have no excuse for living with food-related poor health. What we will hear and learn from government and conventional media is full of half-truths and lobbyist-fed industry pandering. The truth on healthful foods is not what we think.
By the Way
If you really want to update your perspective on plant-based eating and healthful choices, check out these valuable documentaries (available on Netflix, or at their websites):
Fork Over Knives
Food Matters
Hungry for Change
These are all exceptionally eye-opening. Here's to upgrading what we know about our food choices and making healthful choices.
3.4
The Power of the Pantry
Fourth post in a Simple Wellness series...
If we're committed to a wellness journey, we've set a vision for our health, and started down the road to resetting our food choices, then we've got to work on our pantries. What lurks in a majority of American pantries is scary. There are not a lot of 'real' foods, even though a lot of what we stock may be edible. Real foods are unprocessed, nutrient-dense, and as fresh as possible.
Have you stood and stared at your pantry or fridge lately? Seen anything edible that just isn't food? We have a few things... some salty snacks, starchy sides and sugary breakfast cereals, but we stock mostly real foods, and reap the benefits of eating them.
Real, nutrient-dense foods afford us the healthiest bang for our calorie buck. We benefit from fiber, minerals, micronutrients and phytochemicals in fresh foods. Think veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. Dr. Joel Fuhrman likes to describe 'GBOMBS' as his quick label to remember 'Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries and Seeds.' If we've reset our food choices, these five categories are absolute winners to give our bodies the healthy nutrition they crave.
A great way to integrate real foods is to purge our pantries of the most processed offenders, and begin including as many real foods as possible. Then we can set simple goals in our meal planning and food preparation to have more and more of our meals feature real foods (and only real foods). Let's say we eat about 20 meals a week (7 days times 3 meals a day...) If we had one real-food meal a day, that would yield about 30% of our meals being health, and 70% being regular choices.
As weeks and months go, it can be simple to grow that ratio to 50/50, then 60/40 (so now we're closer to 2 meals a day being real food) all the way to 80/20. An 80/20 goal for real-food to standard food is valuable. At that level our cells are being nourished and we even have the opportunity to reverse some disease patterns and symptoms.
Here are some real-food meal suggestions: Breakfast can be a smoothie with greens, chia seeds and fresh fruit, or a hearty oatmeal or muesli with dried fruits and healthy nuts. Lunch could include a big salad with a small portion of fish or beans. Supper can feature a healthier meat like broiled chicken breast or salmon, with steamed veggies and a baked sweet potato.
And here and there, a regular old burger-and-fries, or pancakes-and-bacon meal is okay. Not to binge on comfort food, and blow your wellness accomplishments, but just to scratch that itch of wanting something from your 'old' pantry.
So find a great, healthful cookbook (Dr. Fuhrman publishes the 'Eat to Live Cookbook', and it's a good one) or a great book of smoothie recipes, and launch into your new, real, healthful choices.
By the Way
A critical step on a journey to a healthful 80/20 diet is the selection of snacks. Here again, ditch the packaged snacks, like crackers and candy bars, and go for the simplest real foods you can find. A piece of fresh fruit is great, or dried fruits and nuts work well too. Take your time nibbling, though, and be careful with portions, because fruit has a lot of natural sugar, and nuts pack a lot of fats that can have you bulked up on calories in no time.
2.85
Admit it... this year you want the holidays to be different (where your health is concerned). If you're like me, you have countless memories of holiday seasons of indulgence and overindulgence that you paid for dearly, months into the new year. I know it's possible for this year to be different, and we can do it without starving ourselves or even 'dieting'.
Sounds impossible? No, it's not, really. All we need is a plan, some conviction, and a pantry stocked with healthy, nutrient-dense options. This week Dr. Joel Fuhrman posted a great guide to holiday eating in an email blast, and I want to share it here:
Celebrate the Holidays Healthfully
This article offers great content for how to get our eating habits on a healthful track, and yet not go hungry in the process. Things we've talked about in the Power Pantry blog before: pursue greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds; have a health-buddy for accountability; take healthful dishes with you to family gatherings, etc.
Make this holiday season different in a healthy way. Start by stocking your pantry (and fridge) with healthful, nutrient-dense options that your body will love, and set a course for a healthy, happy holiday and new year.
By the Way
Don't miss the comment from Dr. Fuhrman on 'holiday heart' - the time at the ER when doctors see the most strokes and heart attacks from holiday indulgences.
2.55
It's the peak of summer, and the ideal time to enjoy the quintessential summer fruit: watermelon! The growing seasons of various states in the US give good overlap of watermelon availability, so you should be finding, fresh, sweet, juicy watermelon at your local market from July through September (and parts of California and Texas have their growing peaks in May and June).
Check out these fun facts on watermelon from the Watermelon Board (yes, there is one of those - see www.watermelon.org):
- The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
- Watermelon is 92% water.
- Watermelon's official name is Citrullus Lanatus of the botanical family Curcurbitaceae. It is cousins to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.
- By weight, watermelon is the most-consumed melon in the U.S., followed by cantaloupe and honeydew.
- Early explorers used watermelons as canteens.
- The first cookbook published in the U.S. in 1776 contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles.
- Updated! According to Guinness World Records, the world's heaviest watermelon was grown by Lloyd Bright of Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 2005, weighing in at 268.8 lbs (121.93 kg). Lloyd grew and weighed in for the Annual Hope, Arkansas Big Watermelon Contest on September 3, 2005.
- The United States currently ranks 5th in worldwide production of watermelon. Many states grow watermelons with Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Arizona consistently leading the country in production.
The great thing about our global, integrated economy is that you can easily get fresh watermelon year long, from places like Brazil, Costa Rico, and the Dominican Republic covering the winter months.
So, if you haven't yet indulged in this staple of summer fare, grab a watermelon this week and enjoy.
By the Way
If you want some convincing that watermelon is a worthwhile addition to a power pantry nutritionally, check out these articles on the various health benefits of watermelon:
Dr. Joel Furhman on 3 Benefits of watermelon (from a recent email blast)
Dr. Joseph Mercola on 6 Things You Didn't Know About Watermelon
2.48
With summer here it can be tough to make consistent power pantry choices. Picnic food, ice cream treats and cold soft drinks may be a huge temptation to leave wellness choices behind...
But for every tempting distraction from a wellness lifestyle, I think there's a silver lining which waits for us to notice and choose well. So what is a summer food silver lining? Berries! We just finished strawberry season in PA and the blueberries are quick on the heels, offering sweet, healthy distractions from standard summer fare.
Have you had some fresh blueberries recently? Even if you don't live close to NJ (the blueberry capital of the North East), I'm certain you'll find fresh blueberries at the farmer's market and grocery store in the days and weeks to come. As a matter of fact, 98% of US blueberries come from just 10 states. Check out the Blueberry Council for great facts, recipes and history on this nutrient-packed healthy choice.
Believe it or not, blueberries have only been cultivated for farm-to-table production and enjoyment for 100 years, and with the tremendous phytochemicals and antioxidants available in blueberries, it's great that they are now a staple. Berries offer a long list of benefits through their nutritional density. All we need to do is make them a regular part of our diet.
Check out this great article from Dr. Joel Fuhrman about all the benefits from berries:
The Benefits of Berries, Cherries and Pomegranates
According to the information in the article, after making berries a part of your diet, you'll be sleeping better, recovering from exercise more quickly, and keeping heart disease at bay. That's quite a list of healthful results from simply enjoying berries
So stop at the roadside stand, or swing by the produce section, and stock up on some sweet, low calorie, nutritious blueberries to enjoy a little slice of summer today.
By the Way
Don't forget to shop for berries in the frozen foods aisle, if you can't find the fresh ones. Frozen berries may be cheaper and more consistent from a ripeness, sweetness and size standpoint, than fresh ones. Either way, enjoy!
2.43
I've written before that I'm a big fan of Dr. Joel Fuhrman. He consistently adds value to the conversation on health, wellness and nutrition, and best of all, his guidance works, if we'll just do it. At some point, when we're not satisfied with our health and the direction we're getting from conventional medical sources, we need to consider other resources. For me, Dr. Fuhrman is one of those resources.
A fundamental perspective that Dr. Fuhrman brings to nutritional excellence is that salad should be the main dish for as many meals as possible. The value our bodies derive from fresh veggies and the nutritional density of greens, and all colorful vegetables for that matter, are unmatched by anything in the standard American diet. It's as simple as that, "make salad the main dish"!
Obviously summer is the best time to launch into this perspective, as we're surrounded by every kind of fresh produce for about the next 4 months. Of course our hyper-connected world yields fresh fruits and veggies year-round, whether from the farm field a mile away, or California, Florida, New Zealand or Argentina (all of which have been sources for the Muller's produce recently).
So take a look at your meal-planning for the next few weeks and incorporate salad wherever you can. Part of the preparation will be stocking your power pantry and fridge to compliment the salad initiative, so start there. And be careful about the dressings! That is the biggest tripping hazard in a healthful salad. Most bottled, brand name dressings are off the charts with fats (and not good fats), sodium, flavor-enhancers and sugars - uhg! Around our house we keep it simple with some Newman's Own selections, mix-yourself Italian dressing, and plain old oil and vinegar. Simple always wins.
Here's to being big on salads and amping up our salad consumption. Good luck!
By the Way
Dr. Furhman recently did an email blast about making salad the main dish. Check it out here:
Make the Salad the Main Dish
He even addresses the dressing issue with some (shameless) promotion of his own line of healthy dressing choices...
2.31
I met with a good business friend the other day, and our conversation drifted to wellness and healthful eating. This isn't unusual for our meetings... we can talk for hours and it seems like minutes. And interestingly, this friend is the one who turned me on to Dr. Joel Fuhrman almost three years ago.
His story is somewhat like mine and my wife's... it was my friend's mother who, while suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, sought out any and all solutions, especially ones which didn't involve medications. Her journey led her to Dr. Fuhrman, and she actually was a patient of his for a number of years. This turned her into a fan of nutrient-dense whole foods, and she became a proponent of this kind of healthy eating and living to others (including her son, my friend). The good news of her journey (like ours) is that she has been free of the pain, swelling and torment of arthritis for years, just by healthful eating and living.
It is so interesting to me how useful, valuable information takes on its own life. In 2012, my wife Jen and I were on our own wellness journey when I was given Dr. Fuhrman's book, Eat to Live, by this business friend. Instantly, I was hooked. The simple, sustainable, healthful choices laid out in Fuhrman's materials resonated with me, and has literally changed our lives. Now, I can't think of 'going back' to our old food and lack-of-wellness lifestyle. We have overcome so much joint pain, back pain, headaches and migraines, lethargy...even common colds, sore throats and ear aches that we don't get any more... why would we ever go back?
The gift I was given by my friend in June of 2012 (in the form of Fuhrman's book) is the same gift you can give someone. If you have benefited from progress you have made on your wellness journey, share that benefit by passing it along today. Have a great conversation over coffee, or on a long walk, or just around your home or office. Empathize with where they are, and give them some hope that there is a way forward, separate from the pain and illness. As you've been intentional about your wellness journey, make it a point to help someone else be intentional about theirs.
By the Way
There are invaluable resources for your wellness journey on Dr. Fuhrman's website:
Dr. Fuhrman online
You can sign up for regular nutritarian guidance in his emails, and understand his guidance better:
"You can reverse disease, reduce high blood pressure, lose unwanted weight, lower your cholesterol levels, prevent heart disease and cancer, and improve your health — all without relying on drugs and fad diets."
As you're on your own journey, be sure to pay it forward by doing life with others on their journey. Fuhrman's materials might be helpful.
2.14
So often we need proof in order to accept ideas which stretch our thinking or require us to change. I'm a fan of Dr. Joel Fuhrman's work and perspectives, and believe that his 'nutritarian' approach to wellness and healthy eating is the way future generations will see their food. Fuhrman's whole-foods approach, and avoidance of dairy and processed grains, make some folks really uneasy, even skeptical. To overcome those misgivings, people need proof that Dr. Fuhrman's thinking isn't misguided.
Because a picture is worth a thousand words, and personal testimonies hold more sway than academic lectures, Dr. Fuhrman has a whole section of his web site dedicated to Success Stories. There are over 380 stories posted, describing sometimes dramatic journeys to wellness, where folks have overcome obesity, diabetes, heart disease and more.
Click through on this link
Success Stories
and check out real life examples of folks who lost hundreds of pounds, or overcame heart issues, or ended their diabetes, to reclaim their lives. And all this was done simply by following a nutritarian lifestyle.
If you've started on a power pantry journey, be encouraged. You're not alone in taking responsibility for your wellness and pursuing healthy choices in food and physical activity. Read just a handful of the testimonies on Dr. Fuhrman's website, and you'll get the motivation to take your own next steps toward healthful living. Better yet, share this post with others who may be skeptical about all this nutritious food stuff. The proof is in the changed lives described in these success stories, just as you may be changing.
By the Way
One of the most dramatic stories is of Scott, who lost over 330 pounds, after topping out at 563 pounds and a size 10XL. I love that he says, "I’m just doing what’s healthy for my body, and the results follow."
2.7
I'm a big fan of Dr. Joel Fuhrman and his seminal book on nutritional excellence, Eat to Live. We're adding folks to the Power Pantry rolls weekly, and if you've joined us recently, reading and following the powerful guidance in Eat to Live is a perfect place to start. You'll find solid, easy-to-understand concepts of how nutrient density and following a whole-food diet is the way to optimal physical health.
Here is tremendous guidance from a recent email blast of Dr. Fuhrman's:
The benefits of following the Nutritarian diet are numerous and life-changing. By following the Nutritarian diet, it is possible to:
- Achieve your ideal weight
- Improve your overall health
- Prevent and reverse heart disease and type 2 diabetes
- Protect yourself from cancer and dementia
- Reduce or eliminate your need for medication
- Avoid any unnecessary and potentially harmful medical interventions
- Raise heathy children and safeguard their future health
- Slow down the aging process
- Push the boundaries of human longevity
That's quite a list of benefits! I can attest that simple improvements in what I eat have brought me to a level of physical health that I haven't enjoyed since I was a kid. As I go into my fifth year of intentional lifestyle wellness, I'm still fascinated at how simple it is to achieve significantly improved physical health.
There's another doctor I'm quite impressed with, and I've benefited greatly from his guidance. Dr. Dean Ornish is a veteran of over 35 years of wellness research and oversees the Preventative Medicine Research Institutes (PMRI - click for their website). The basis of Dr. Ornish's work is what he refers to as The Ornish Spectrum. He has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that improvements in four simple areas of life will restore health and vitality to even the sickest patients. The four areas of Dr. Ornish's Spectrum are:
- what you eat
- how you respond to stress
- how much activity you have
- how much love and support you have.
With decades of proof, the improved lives of his patients stand as a testament to his good work. There is a wealth of tremendous research available from the PMRI research page on their website:
PMRI Research Highlights
Achieving your lifestyle wellness goals is simple, even though it may not be easy. If you're on the path, stick to it, and if you're just starting, welcome aboard!
By the Way
Dr. Ornish has a number of TED Talks where he reviews the great research his work has generated. It is incredible to me that he was spreading this guidance over 10 years ago; I'm thankful that it is becoming a part of the fabric and dialog of our American lifestyle... Here is his talk from 2004, and it's well worth the time to watch it:
Dr. Ornish - Healing Through Diet
1.80
The holiday week is here, and maybe you're like us, having already shared a pre-Christmas celebration of food and cookies and gifts. It's a wonderfully rich time of year for traditions and family gatherings and, of course, more food than we'd eat in a month...
With all the feasting which is bound to happen the coming week(s), wouldn't it be great to have a simply 'recovery' plan to get back to our power pantry eating routine? I think it would... and I think I've found a good tool and guide. Dr. Joel Fuhrman recently shared an article from his website library calling out the ten best foods for health, and ten worst foods which lead us away from health. This is a simple road map of the way to recovery after holiday indulgences leave us bloated, up several pounds, and feeling guilty.
Check out the article here:
Ten Best and Worst Foods...
It's interesting to note something not on either list: most grains (especially whole grains). While refined white flour is on the Worst list, other good grains like brown rice, quinoa, millet and amaranth are missing as well. That means they're not the best, nor are these the worst - they're somewhere in the middle.
So if you find yourself indulging in too much of a bad thing this holiday season, maybe this list will provide a tool for recovery. Lean hard into the list of healthful, nutrient-dense foods that Dr. Fuhrman calls out on his 'Ten Best' list, and if you stick with it for a month or so, you'll no doubt be back in great shape.
By the Way
I've posted before that I try to be a 90/10 eater when it comes to power pantry choices in my diet. What I mean by that is I attempt to consume 90% of my calories as healthful, nutrient-dense foods, with the other 10% being more convenient, standard American fare. So out of 20 or so meals a week, two of them may be regular old American menu items (even a burger with fries, cheesy lasagna, or pot roast with all the trimmings) while all the rest lean hard into nutrient-dense, plant-based selections. When in 'recovery mode' it's even more important to be an 80/20 or 90/10 eater.
1.74
Hopefully you had a great Thanksgiving, as I did with my wife and family. We are grateful to have shared a delicious butterball turkey with all the trimmings (although our sweet potatoes didn't have the little marshmallows on top...) And I have to say we did fairly good in the nutrient density department, respecting our power pantry choices. We made some great substitutions (like a gluten free stuffing along with regular stuffing) and subtractions (our green beans were sans cream of mushroom soup and fried onions...although they had some crumbled bacon...) The big question is whether our holiday food choices are worthwhile when it comes to nutrient density, that is, how much nutrition is packed in each calorie we choose to eat.
I've posted about nutrient density before. It's a concept popularized by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, one of my favorite nutrition-focused writers and thought leaders. Dr. Fuhrman's formula for health is H = N/C, where H stands for health, N stands for nutrients, and C stands for calories. So our health can be determined by how many nutrients are packed into the calories we consume, our nutrition per calorie. Overall, he refers to this N/C concept as nutrient density.
I had a good nutrient-density conversation with a business friend last week, concerning his health journey and his growing awareness of healthy eating. He is benefiting from nutritional adjustments to help him overcome years of back pain. The great thing is that it's working! Being conscious of the nutrients in the food we choose to eat can make all the difference in the world.
You can review that previous post on nutrient density for some other food-choice ideas, but the point for our holiday food choices is to focus on whole foods over processed foods, and to overwhelm our diet with calories from high-nutrition sources. Yes, there may be holiday cookies and pies, and those little sausages every now and then, but by making some power pantry choices of a big salad, some steamed veggies and brown rice, and desserts focused on berries, fresh fruits and pomegranates, we can lean into high-nutrient choices. The result will be a deep-breath kind of confidence come January, and while we'll have really enjoyed the holidays, we won't be sorry at all for our food choices. Here's to some wonderful Christmas preparations and enjoyment of the season!
By the Way
What we're really after, nutritionally, with our whole food choices are phytochemicals, or phytonutrients. These are the naturally occurring healthful constituents of unrefined plant foods, and it is the basis of nutrient density. For instance, a 100 calorie portion of broccoli has almost twice the protein of a 100 calorie portion of steak. And kale and romaine pack way more nutritional punch per calorie than animal-based foods, grains or even beans and seeds. So stock up on your fresh veggies this holiday season!
1.72
There is something truly wonderful about the holiday season. Fall harvest time melds into the celebration of abundance at Thanksgiving, and that opens the door wide for Christmas gatherings and remembrances of God come to earth. With all the celebrating and blessings it can be difficult to maintain the healthy eating side of our power pantry. I don't think this is a time to put our wellness goals on the shelf with the intent of picking them up in the new year. Instead, it's a great time to keep it simple and put intentional effort into our power pantry lifestyle.
To stay focused it's good to have a guide for some reminders and boundaries. I found a great one this past week from Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of Eat to Live and several other 'must read' books on nutritious eating. Dr. Fuhrman describes himself as a 'nutritarian', not a vegetarian or omnivore or flexitarian, but someone focused on the nutrient density of the foods he chooses to eat. With that in mind, Dr. Fuhrman offers a useful list of things we can eat daily over the holidays to stay grounded in nutrient dense and healthful foods.
Sure there will be turkey and stuffing, and cakes and pies, and maybe even sweet potato casserole with mini marshmallows on top. But indulging a little in those holiday treats and traditional dishes doesn't need to totally derail us. Check out this article from Dr. Fuhrman, which includes the nutritartian list, and think of how you can incorporate some of his guidance in your holiday food choices: The nutritarian diet and checklist
A wellness lifestyle is just that, a lifestyle. If you're becoming more and more of a health-motivated person, keep at it, and incorporate some good meal planning and thinking into your holiday meals. That way you won't need to make a big reset come January, to regain healthy ground you've lost. Instead, you can just keep on track with wellness choices as part of everyday life.
By the Way
To give an idea of how quickly we can lose ground with holiday eating, check out this post from Coach Up (I saw this referenced in the Sunday paper today...)
"Get Active on Thanksgiving"
The average American Thanksgiving meal encompasses 4,500 calories - yeow. It would take me almost 8 hours of running, or 15 hours of cycling to overcome all those calories.
1.64
Many health practitioners who follow a wellness-lifestyle agree that various functions in our bodies get sick together, and also, as we improve our wellness, these functions will heal and get well together. What is good for the parts of our bodies is good for our body overall.
This month is breast cancer awareness month, and it really hits home in our family - my wife's mother is a four-year breast cancer survivor. When I came across a great article from Dr. Joel Furhman last week on strategies for preventing breast cancer, I thought it would be great to share it. I would say this article strongly supports the fact that what is good for preventing breast cancer will go a long way toward improving overall wellness.
Check out the article from Dr. Fuhrman:
Ten Strategies for Preventing Breast Cancer
You may question whether this article is relevant for you (especially the guys), but I guarantee that it has valuable information and support for adjustments to our pantries and lifestyle. What is good for any of the parts is definitely good for the whole.
How do Dr. Fuhrman's ten points stack up? The first half are all diet-related (higher quality nutrients; limit animal proteins; include flax and chia). Six through ten include getting three hours of exercise a week and eliminating alcohol and smoking.
We're all affected by cancer. It impacts our families, our friends, coworkers, neighbors... and can affect us directly as well. Even if we're young and 'healthy' now, our lifestyle choices have an indelible impact on our lives, and by extension, on the lives of those around us. Try incorporating Dr. Fuhrman's guidance, and take a step toward a power pantry and a wellness lifestyle.
By the Way
Dr. Fuhrman is one of the few prominent web doctors who exhaustively footnotes all of his research and perspective. Check out the References at the end of the Preventing Breast Cancer article; he's done his homework...
1.60
As you're working on your power pantry, and maybe reading up on better choices you can include, you may come across the raw-food / cooked-food debate. Contention over the right form of food has raged on for decades, and from what I can see, there is still no clear winner. What we can conclude is that including more raw foods in our pantry and diet is better than an overabundance of cooked and processed foods.
Read up on the benefits of a raw diet from experts like Dr. Joel Fuhrman and Dr. Andrew Weil. I appreciate that both of these doctors take a middle of the road approach to food choices and diet advice. The guidance they offer is repeatable and holds value for majority of our population. What we can glean from their perspectives is that there are great benefits to eating a substantial amount of our foods as raw foods, but there is also value in including cooked foods in our diet.
If you're experiencing significant health challenges, you may consider a time of a strict raw diet, like a raw juice fast, as a means of detox. This is a great way to benefit from a supercharge of antioxidants, fiber (if you're blending instead of juicing) micro-nutrients and phyto-nutrients available in raw fruits and vegetables. Big picture, and long-term, cooking of some foods is beneficial because it corrects and improves what may be unhealthy or even poisonous (like carcinogens in most mushrooms which dissipate when cooked).
Check out this article from Dr. Weil about choosing raw over cooked foods, and this one from Dr. Fuhrman. What we can conclude is that consuming more raw foods (fruits and veggies) has great health benefits, and there is also a place for cooking of some foods. If you're really into the raw/cooked debate, read up on Dr. Paul Kouchakoff, M.D., whose research concluded that at least 51% of our diet should consist of raw foods in order for our bodies to digest and metabolize in a healthy way.
Wherever you fall on the raw/cooked food spectrum, try including a substantial amount of raw foods in your choices today. The reality is that we don't get nearly as much raw, unprocessed food as we should, so making the effort eat raw more often is a great addition to a power pantry.
By the Way
I've always appreciated a scripture verse written by Paul, an avid Christ-follower who shared great guidance and wisdom with the early church. In his letter to the Corinthian christians Paul said:
"Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, 'The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.' " (1 Corinthians 10:25) Of course, Paul was describing the 1st century marketplace, where everything sold was basically local and 'organic'... wise choices which we may do well to follow.
1.46
I struggled with my weight for decades. Then starting about 3 years ago I grew through several significant resources which changed everything. First my perspective was broadened by Dr. Will Clower's Mediterranean Wellness program. Then in 2012 a business friend bought me Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book, Eat to Live, and my view on food improved further. I realized that I consumed a majority of calories from foods which weren't nutritious, and I actually had an unhealthy relationship with food. Back then my 'target' weight that I struggled to maintain was 185.
Then everything began to change as I ate foods with a higher nutrient density (more nutrition per calorie). My weight started to drop. I even had friends concerned I was sick or something as 20 plus pounds literally fell right off. I continued to seek healthful approaches to a wellness lifestyle and lost another 10 pounds over the next year. So I've landed at 155 as my ideal weight and have hovered at that for well over a year.
Now I'm fascinated that a whole food, plant-based wellness lifestyle got me to this ideal weight. Not a diet, and definitely not 'starving' myself in any way. I'm actually surprised at the volume of food I eat daily; granted much of it is whole foods and easily satisfies my hunger. Now I eat to live instead of living to eat.
There are different perspectives on ideal weight levels and how to reach or maintain them. I definitely subscribe to the view that once we consistently feed our bodies healthful, nutritious foods we will naturally achieve and maintain our ideal weight.
What is the right weight for each of us? There are a variety of views on what it should be, how to maintain it, and even whether we should weigh ourselves to track it. A popular gauge for healthy weight is the body mass index, or BMI. This is a rudimentary calculation which compares our weight to our height and indicates if we are at a healthy weight, over-weight or under-weight. The goal is for our weight to be between 18.5 and 24.9 on the BMI scale. When I topped out around 220 pounds 17 years ago I was at a BMI of 29.8, just a ten of a point shy of being "obese". (Google 'BMI Calculator' for numerous online calculators).
The BMI scale isn't perfect (it doesn't account for muscle mass, so highly athletic people can tip the charts as overweight or obese when they're healthy), but it makes a great yardstick. As for the bathroom scale, I think it is fine to weight ourselves regularly (like weekly) as it helps maintain perspective. If our food choices are nutritious, our weight will naturally find a healthy level and we won't use the bathroom scale to whip ourselves into diet submission.
So, what's your healthy weight range? Are you in that range or close? If not, are you willing to improve your pantry and increase your activity level? The benefits are significant and may be life-saving. Literally.
By the Way
Dr. Fuhrman shared a quick guide to a healthy target weight in his book Eat to Live, page 24:
For women: approximately 95 pounds for the first 5 feet of height; then 4 pounds for every additional inch
For men: approximately 105 pounds for the first 5 feet of height; then 5 pounds for every additional inch
An example:
- A 5 ' 6" woman would have a target weight of 116 pounds (95 + 24)
- A 5' 10" man would have a target weight of 155 (105 + 50)
1.44
As a nation, we eat way too much protein, especially animal protein. I know I've already lost some of you with that simple statement because it sounds extreme, like henny penny looking for the sky to fall (raining with bacon and fried eggs, in this case). We've been sold this strange bill of goods that beef and chicken and dairy and eggs are great for our health, born mostly out of our farming history and successful industry lobbying of the past century. As Washington's regulations go, so goes our nation... and our health is going right down the sewer (kind of like Washington?)
Some folks have even been convinced that vegetable proteins are incomplete, and we'll be lacking vital amino acids if consume a plant-based diet and skip the meat, dairy and eggs. That's factually incorrect. Our bodies can do just fine on plants alone, and counting all the health issues that result from eating animal-based foods, we'd do much better to side with the vegetables.
I've often conveyed that I'm a fan of Dr. Joel Fuhrman and his book "Eat to Live". Consider this passage about the protein myth from page 140:
A healthy diet, we were taught, supposedly centered on meat and milk. Protein was thought to be the most favorable of all nutrients, and lots of protein was thought to be the key to strength, health, and vigor. Unfortunately, cancer rates soared. As a result of scientific investigations into the causes of the disease, we have had to rethink what we were taught. Old habits die hard: most Americans still cling to what they were taught as children. There are very few subjects that are more distorted in modern culture than that of protein.Keep in mind that we do need protein. We can't be healthy without protein in our diet. Plant foods have plenty of protein...and you don't need to mix and match foods to achieve protein completeness. Any combination of natural foods will supply you with adequate protein, including all eight essential amino acids as well as nonessential amino acids.
Yes, old habits die hard, but they do eventually die. Unfortunately, it is taking generations of sickness and disease (heart disease, diabetes, and cancers, especially) to get the attention of our nation. We have terrible eating and wellness habits in our western culture, and thankfully the solution is really simple: lean hard toward a plant-based diet.
Here are a couple did-you-know facts. From a nutrient density standpoint (ie, how much nutritional bang do we get for the calorie buck, from the foods we eat) green veggies beat everything else - hands down. When looking at the protein content per calorie, green vegetables register about 50% of their calories from protein content, and vegetables in general supply about 10% of their calories from protein. That's good nutrient density, and a great protein source.
There is more and more evidence entering the mainstream about the inflammation caused by animal-based foods, and how that results in plaque in our arteries, obesity, diabetes, many common cancers and numerous other health issues. More on these in a future post. Suffice it to say that focusing on a plant-based diet, and following Dr. Fuhrman's 'GBOMBS' protocol (see post here) will get you exceptional nutrition, plenty of protein, all the amino acids you need, help you shed pounds and feel incredible.
By the Way
Check out "Plant Power" advocate, Rich Roll, and his great information on successfully living a vegan lifestyle. Rich is especially unique because he is an ultra-endurance athlete. Rich has a great website where you can catch some of his content he's shared with CNN and Men's Health magazine, as well as his #1 book on Amazon - www.richroll.com
1.40
Maintaining a power pantry and eating for nutritional excellence has tremendous benefits. Even so, some things are only gained by making good choices beyond our pantry. Getting enough Vitamin D is one of these choices, and in North America, most adults are significantly lacking in vitamin D. This is a really important wellness topic, and quite simple to get right. I gleaned much of this information from two of my favorite online doctors: Dr. Joel Fuhrman (http://www.drfuhrman.com) and Dr. Andrew Weil (http://www.drweil.com) - more on them below...
If you haven't considered your vitamin D intake lately, you're not alone. Over 80% of the American population has a vitamin D deficiency. Why is this? Mostly because it is difficult to get vitamin D in our food. If you're lacking in vitamin D, what you're risking is calcium absorption and bone health; this is where vitamin D is critically important. It is also shown to be beneficial for immune system health and prevention of some serious diseases like rickets.
Vitamin D is actually a hormone, not a vitamin. You may have heard of it referred to as the 'sunshine vitamin' because our bodies produce it when exposed to direct, ultraviolet sunlight. The vitamin D hormone is produced during this exposure and is stored in fat reserves in our bodies for use then and in the future.
The amount of sun exposure is actually not that long (20 to 30 minutes in spring and fall, and 15 to 20 minutes during the summer, two to three times a week, during the prime sunshine hours of 10am to 3pm). This exposure assumes no sunscreen (which blocks UV rays) and simply needs to be on arms and legs, not your face or torso. Understanding that too many of us work indoors and don't get sun exposure during prime sunning hours, there really needs to be another way.
That other way is by eating fortified foods or with a regular supplement. We've all grown up around milk fortified with vitamin D, right? Mass produced milk was recognized as a simple means to get this vital nutrient in the food choices of our society. Even so, according to Dr. Weil, fortified milk and cereals usually provide the D2 version of the vitamin, and what we significantly lack is the D3 version, which needs to come from a quality supplement. The necessary dosage is 1000 to 2000 IUs (international units - a measure of supplement volume) a day. While it may sound like a lot, it's right in the zone of appropriate supplementation for adults.
The punchline is that the best way to get the necessary amount of this vital, and severely lacking nutrient, is to regularly get out in the sun, and take a quality supplement. Your bones and immune system will thank you for it.
By the Way
Here are some great resources for further reading on vitamin D:
For Dr. Fuhrman's content click here
For Dr. Weil's content click here
And a bit more on sun exposure from Dr. Weil here
1.34
I was talking with a friend the other day and he shared about a family member with a gluten sensitivity. While they are relieved to have a solution for the health and gut issues this family member was suffering, they're still getting used to the lifestyle changes needed to deal with a food intolerance.
We went on to talk about the top six food sensitivities (I told him I had a post about these, describing dairy, wheat, corn, soy, peanuts and eggs as culprits, in that order.) He was aghast. He couldn't believe that these more-than-common foods were the source of health issues for millions of people. I explained that they aren't allergies (acute issues) but intolerances (chronic issues... they manifest slowly and in an irritating way.) His biggest question was, what do you eat if you're cutting out these six common foods, as you would for a time in an elimination diet?
I think the answer is simple, and I described six essential food categories which can help us all eat 'clean'. There are plenty of nutrient-dense foods which our bodies crave, are readily available, and great for our health. I've mentioned numerous time in Power Pantry posts that I'm a fan of Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an MD from New Jersey focused on nutritional excellence.
Dr. Fuhrman has published a short-list of the most healthful foods - basically the top of the list for eating clean. He describes these in short as "G-BOMBS", which stands for greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds. These six foods work magic for our metabolism, provide essential amino acids, enzymes, micronutrients and phytonutrients. Dr. Fuhrman promotes them as so important, we should be eating these every day and they should be a significant portion of our regular diet. Here are the categories in brief:
- Greens - as in leafy greens: kale, spinach, romaine; the darker the better. (Sorry, iceberg lettuce doesn't count as greens... they're 'pale greens' or even 'whites' at best).
- Beans - as in legumes: lentils, chickpeas, pintos, black beans, navy beans, peas etc. These are high in protein and soluable fiber, which are great anti-diabetes foods and good for weight loss
- Onions - and other members of the allium family like garlic, scallions, leeks, shallots. All of these are great for blood flow and heart health, and have documented anti-cancer properties
- Mushrooms - these have great anti-cancer benefits, are anti-inflamatory and stimulate our immune systems; note, mushrooms should only be eaten cooked, as several types of raw culinary mushrooms contain carcinogens which dissipate when cooked.
- Berries - these are gems of antioxidants, healthy calories and vitamins. Blueberries, black berries, strawberries are all true super foods. Note: the darker the better; darker color indicates higher levels of good antioxidants. And you can buy affordable, frozen berries year-round in the freezer case of your favorite grocery store.
- Seeds (and nuts) - as in flax, chia, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, walnuts, almonds, etc. These are high in protein, good fats, minerals and fiber. There is greater benefit to raw seeds and nuts than roasted, so shop for raw whenever possible.
This is a great list, and will yield fulfilling and tasty, healthful meals. I see G-BOMBS as an essential, fundamental fall-back position for our power pantry. When in doubts, reset to these six simple, healthful foods. Of course there will be healthy whole grains (brown rice, oats, quinoa) lean meats (poultry and fish), sauces and salsas and healthful condiments, and some low-fat dairy (like greek yogurt) to round out meals, but G-BOMBS provide an essential foundation for a healthful, non-irritating power pantry diet.
By the Way
You can check out Dr. Fuhrman's descriptions of G-BOMBS here:
Dr. Fuhrman's G-BOMBS article
I love that he annotates all of his writings and research. Have any doubts in what he's saying? Then look it up - he's not shy about taking a confident, definitive approach to his wise counsel.
