Alright I'm assuming everyone is doing great with last weeks challenge since I have not heard any of you complain or ask me questions! ;) Alright I'm sure you have all pretty much written me off after that thinking oh whatever she is just nuts! I sincerely hope some of you will trust me on this and at least give all these steps a try and do your best at them for a LEAST the last 5 weeks! Common ANYBODY can do something for that long. I know if you honestly try you will be so glad you did! Don't worry you won't become a crazy health nut like me! You will just move to a different level of health and give yourself more options on how healthy you would like to see your diet!
This week you will want to add......
WHOLE GRAINS
Many people today are suffering from gluten intolerance, wheat allergies or sensitivities and related health conditions such as indigestion, lethargy, and headaches. A primary cause of many of these health conditions stems from continued over-consumption of refined grains.
Just to illustrate a little about what refined grains are like. Say I come over to your house and we are going to clean! I take everything you own but I tell you not to worry because will get plenty back. Then I give you back one of your outfits and say the cushions from your couch. Would you be okay with that deal? That is pretty much what happens when you use refined grains (ie. white bread and pastas etc.) Refined grains lack many essential nutrients because of the removal of the nutrient-dense bran and germ during processing. Of course they do put a few nutrients back in, but you weren't happy with just your couch cushions were you? So why are you happy with your white bread with most of the nutrients stolen out of it? Also refined grains don't contain ANY fiber and tend to just stick like glue in your system. Ever make paper mache using white flour? Well then you know what I mean!
Now since there are a lot of whole grain products available these days this should not be a hard thing to do. Of course you want to be careful that it also doesn't contain the ingredients you have tossed from last weeks challenge. I have seen and used lots of whole grain pastas in the store. If you want to make your own bread I love this recipe. And if you don't have your own wheat grinder come on over and I will grind you some! (I seriously mean that I have done it for lots of people I totally DO NOT mind! ANY TIME!) If you have been thinking about getting one it's a great investment THIS MILL
is my favorite kind but there are others out there for less that will get the job done. Blendtec sells one that is much cheaper that I know a lot of people use and it does the job just fine too!
is my favorite kind but there are others out there for less that will get the job done. Blendtec sells one that is much cheaper that I know a lot of people use and it does the job just fine too!Now Remember whole grains are NOT limited to whole wheat there are many grains out there that are super good for you when eaten in their WHOLE state! Barley, Quinoa, Amaranth, Brown Rice, Oats, etc. I have a paper that overviews grains if you would like me to email you a copy of it just let me know I would be happy too. If you have ANY questions feel free to ask most whole grains are easy to use and quick to fix!
My blog has cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls, granola and all sorts of tasty things that use whole grains. I promise you won't feel deprived. (Although if you are not used to eating ANY whole grains be forewarned that you WILL have a few cleansing symptoms. But that is actually a good thing. If you would like to know what those would be you can come ask me I'll be happy to share! ;) And like I said you can even get lots of whole grain breads and cereals from the store now just be sure to read those ingredients!
So since you wouldn't want to get back only part of your stuff let's make sure and not eat only part nutrition either! Make sure you get your
WHOLE GRAINS!
25 comments:
I love those whole grains, its amazing how dull and lifeless refined white flour bread now seems. OK, you've got me craving those whole wheat cinnamon rolls. Maybe I'll whip up a batch this afternoon. Yummm. Sure do love ya, Mom
Mom...if you're whippin up a batch...don't forget to call. I would love to "HELP" you with 'em.
Love your posts sis! You did a dandy job on these!
I'm enjoying your weekly challenges and trying to share them with others. Thanks for the info. Those excitotoxings are quite the education.
I grew up on home-made whole wheat bread, and love it, but your recipe is now the one that I use all the time. In fact, my family won't even eat store-bought wheat bread anymore! :)
Just wanted to let you know- my husband made your carrot cake for my birthday and it was AMAZING. We loved it, it didn't need frosting or anything.
I can testify about what you say about indigestion etc. Once we switched over to whole grains and then cheat a little when we are out and I can't find anything "healthy" I feel a whole lot different, my body is adjusted now to whole grains instead of the other way around.
Can you use store boughten whole wheat for your bread recipe?
Liz: Are you talking about store bought whole wheat flour? If so yes you can. But freshly ground ALWAYS makes better lighter bread and it has more nutrients. But the whole wheat flour at the store should still be better then the white because it will contain some fiber. If you don't have a way to grind your own wheat buying whole wheat flour is a better option then the white bleached flour in my opinion.
So I am reading your blog WAY after you made this post... but still wanted to comment!
I have been suffering from headaches for the last 6 months. They aren't bad enough to really classify as migranes but constant enough to be an issue for me. Eyes were checked and my vision was perfect... I went in for some testing and found out that I may have some food allergies. So I currently am off all cheeses, ALL refined and substitution sugars, and a whole list of random fruits. Now after reading this post I think I will also include refined grains as well! Thanks!
Tammy, my question is at the very bottom of this, so you can just skim this whole thing till you see the ? mark..
About this step, and in sensitivity to the Standard American Diet, growing up as a kid, when my mom got white bread, we all thought of it as a treat. As soon as I was out of the home I realized I actually liked wheat better! And always bought 100% wheat bread, not the trickster kind that is actually bleached whole wheat.
BUT I still didn't like the taste of whole wheat pasta, my mom had always mixed white with 50/50 with wheat (when she was in healthy moods) and I think this is better still than 100% white.
GOOD NEWS, is our taste can progress. I recently made a noodle recipe and I made it with 100% wheat, from the Food Nanny's homemade noodle recipe, and I LOVED IT! I loved the nutty wholesome taste! Normally I had been substituting half and half with white flour and wheat.
SO those of you out there thinking you don't like whole wheat taste, baby step it with you and your family. Even if it takes a month, a year, a couple years, if you keep stepping, you will get there! And that goes for me, I can start using whole wheat in treats and go from 50/50 till we're at 100% and still love it! (Right now the 50/50 is a step for me)
Also I am going to start buying wheat pasta, I've never done that before so
?? for Tammy is, do you just buy your wheat pastas at a health food store or is there a bulk spot you order from that is cheaper, like Azure Standard?
Emily: What do you mean I can just skip to the question. I love reading your experiences! Thank you so much for sharing. I know it will help others who feel similar.
I have found a organic whole wheat spaghetti that some Costco's sell. My local one actually doesn't so we buy a bunch of it when we are at the one further from our house. ;)
Azure is a good place to get whole grain pasta. I too like the nutty wheat flavor but for those that don't Spelt pasta seems to be a better alternative although more expensive. It's really good though! Azure also sells that. Mostly though since we don't do as much pasta as we used too. Again the cravings became much less funny huh. I just get the whole wheat kind in the small boxes at Wal-Mart. We only do pasta now about 2 maybe 3 times a month. We used to have like 2 or 3 times a WEEK! ;)
Thank you Tammy. :) :) Costco is good to know, for stocking up on some spaghetti for food storage. And good old Wal-Mart, thats simple enough. :)
Tammie,
have you ever tried using brown rice pasta? I have been using that for a while, it is a little bit starchy, but tastes good. As far as using whole grain flour products, you said you made pasta only 2 or 3 times a month. How about bread and other whole grain flour foods? How often do you use them? According to Dr. Christopher, flour products can also cause mucus in your body. I would love to hear what you think about that.
Jennet: I actually have recently tried and started using brown rice pasta! As far as whole grain flour foods I agree with Dr. Christopher I do think they are mucus forming. To me though whole grain flours are much better then other flours because they do contain lots of fiber and nutrients. We have though been trying to limit the amount of simply ground and baked flour products but it's a SLOW process for us. It's not really hard just different.
I have been learning to soak my grains and flours and more importantly sprout and low heat my grains. I do think though that whole grain items however they are prepared is much, much better then the alternative. And if you are sure to eat lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies some whole grain flours is okay.
Tammie,
Do you think that soaking your grains helps them to be less mucous forming? How a bout your brown rice, could you soak that?
I've made a habit now of green smoothies, and we don't use the junk I have in the food storage. I commented on that but it may not have gone through.
We've been using all grains all the time since last I posted here, but now because I have thrush I've been trying to up the anty on the veggies.
Food for thought:
My opinion for what its worth, is your life style you've mentioned many times, is to try to get 50-75% of your food, raw. This is what I am cluing into to try to kick out the thrush, I notice on your e-book that you count your main dish as the salad and the 'main' more like a side. You have veggies as a snack and all those veggies in your shake. Getting 50-75% of your food to be raw, really really should be a step, because of my 'condition', I realize it really is one of your 'unwritten' steps, quite difficult to do, but really seems a key of your simple healthy lifestyle, and probably to keeping your nice figure naturally. Tell me what you think of the idea of making it into one of these key steps!
Emily: Yes soaking grains does make them less mucus forming. I'm not sure about rice I understand most long grain rice doesn't sprout only short grain. Yes eating a large majority Raw probably should be a step I may have to post about it and include it. Maybe I figured it just seems obvious but I guess the S.A.D. has gotten kind of away from it. Also it was for a neighborhood biggest looser blog and I didn't want to send them into shock if you know what I mean! ;) I will for sure think on that though it may become 9 steps! Thanks for your thoughts!
Tammy,
It really is written through out the blog, with starting your day with a green shake that will put your breakfast at maybe 50% veggie, then your ebook lets us know you use your salad as your 'main' and the hot dish as 'side', and tell us your children get veggie snacks all the time, and you've posted that multiple times. I have been eating ONLY healthy treats, w/ out chicken broths with msg's, or other sources of msg's and all whole grains for about 3 + months, but until I got the thrush where I had to eat more veggies did I clue into these things in your ebook, the second time reading! Like you say, the SAD diet is such that we garnish with veggies and I am serious, I would think, there's some red pepper in this meal, we got our veggie! Laziness mainly, yes. BUT get this, since I have been shooting for 1/3-1/2 of each meal to be veggie, I've lost 2 inches!!! It is in your blog everywhere, but it could help even more to have it spelled out, like in a step you know or something... and I do have a question, if you have a meal with lots of veggies in it, say Tai soup, do you still have a salad as well??
Thank you Tammie, Emily
R.B: Yes even with a soup with lots of veggies I still try to have some that have a large salad or plenty of sprouts or both that have NOT been cooked! Enzymes is really the key here. They help us to digest and absorb our food better and well I believe enzymes are what help keep us young kind of the fountain of youth if you will. Enzymes are fragile and easily cook out when food is heated over 115-120 degrees! Also along with raw foods I feel like fermented foods are also key. They help keep the flora in our gut in balance again helping with digestion and absorption not to mention keeping yeast in check!
You know thinking about it, maybe I thought I had been fairly self explanatory about how I felt about fresh foods and enzymes but maybe I'm not! I will have to pay more attention and be sure to be better at pointing it out! I do think that it's very key. Especially with weight loss (by the way congrats on loosing 2 inches! Way to go!!
In my ingredient list the very best ingredients are always the fresh and/or sprouted things! You are right it is scattered throughout my blog but I may not come right out and be direct about it. Maybe it's because I want my blog to appeal and be helpful to those who have had the S.A.D diet and not just the health nut! I really do believe that healthy doesn't have to be hard or taste bad. But you start talking all raw and a lot of people feel like that simply isn't possible for them.
Anyway I've rambled long enough I already have some posts about raw foods and enzymes going around in my head. I hope to get them posted soon! Thanks so much for your thoughts, they are very helpful!
Ha, Tammie, R.B. is me. You've really got a great point about scaring average people off w/ saying to eat healthy you need to eat up to 75% raw. I had a friend who said she did and that sounded impossible, foreign, how? To me. So, I think if anyone could make eating raw sound chewable, it would be you!
:) Btw, I like your beautiful shot in your before and after, but I think you look even prettier now! ;) (Judging by the recent pics, apron, and the one w/ three sisters)
Emily
I have over dominated this poor comment page, but a 'thank you' to Tammie, who helped me to go from making whole wheat bread, to eating brown rice and whole wheat pasta, AND making treats w/ not just 1/2 but all whole grains, and helping me realize there were some other great options like spelt and kamut that can be used in say, treats or pasta, that were a bit more mild, and I feel so healthy in this great step I've taken. It feels great to be able to eat healthy things, like them, and feel healthy. It feels great to make treats and not feel like a scum ball when you eat them! Ha! Thank you Tammie. You can erase out any comments here that are superfluous and it won't hurt my feelings!
Emily: I love your comments! It makes my heart sing when I hear people say what you just did above! I love helping people FREE themselves of the guilt and diet yo-yo stuff! It makes this blog so fun and all the time worth it!!! I'm so excited for you!
i know this post was written for the biggest loser contest, but you mentioned a paper you had about all different grains and i would love to have a copy of it if you can get your hands on it still! i love all of this and make a healthy lifestyle switch about 2 months ago. i feel so great, but still have a long way to go. i am trying not to digress. some days are better than others. i know for sure that i need more fresh raw foods. and i am waiting on the OK from my husband to get a blendtec or a vitamix (any thoughts on which one is better? i know you have a blendtec but do you know much about the other?) and also a full size bosch the compact i have now only lets me mix up 2 loaves at a time and that just isn't cutting it! since i have changed my eating i have been eating a salad at lunch and dinner and after about a week of watching me do that my children started asking if they could have one too. they even eat my healthier vinaigrette instead of ranch! it just goes to show that they are watching. and that they will change if you do! anyway- sorry to be so long! i am just so excited about all of this and also our blog! i found you through a friend of mine and could kiss her for sharing! i have tried quite a few of your recipes and love them all. thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!!!
natalie
my email- in case you do have that paper- carp.nat31(at)gmail.com
Natalie: I know I have that paper on my computer I will try to find it ASAP and send it on over to you! My Mom and Sisters both have a Vitamix and so I had used on quite a bit before I decided on a Blendtec both are great blenders I do prefer the Blendtec I explain why at http://www.simplehealthytasty.com/2010/09/blenders.html
I hear you on the Bosch. I still don't have one. Luckily my daughter likes making dough and is really good at it!
Example is EVERYTHING! I'm so proud keep it up!!!! It doesn't always feel like it but we are changing the world! (one salad at a time;)
Don't worry about going long! I love it when readers share what's going on with them and that this is helping them! It makes me SMILE!!!
Thought from a gluten free person: I remember making some fantastic sprouted wheat bread one day and wondering why this healthy food made me feel simply awful after eating it, worse than any junk food for sure. I then learned I was gluten sensitive, I thought this blog didn't apply to me anymore. I was so wrong! There are so many grains in the world and with some experience and a good grain weight comparison chart you can easily sub any grain you want into any recipe that uses wheat, sometimes you need to add a binder as well, I started with xanthan gum, but learned that flax, chia, and psyllium husk work as well and are less dubious. Everything I make is gluten free, but I prefer to call it multi-grain. I have used up to 8 different grains in one dish and that doesn't count the seeds and nuts!
Anyway, I love this blog thanks for sharing!!!
Regina: Thanks for your comment. I love your thoughts. There are so many grains available we should not limit ourselves. And we should listen to our bodies because we are all a little different and one thing may be great for one person and not for another. I recently heard about someone who found that when she ate whole wheat she would have seasonal allergies but when she would use Spelt in place of the wheat she didn't have the allergies. I found that interesting.
Post a Comment