One of the things I have been questioning over and over is what foods help you live better and longer… asking my most ‘scratch my head thinking ‘oh yeah – It’s possible I can be doing a better job with this’) …..and the inevitable question that follows: Can food be my medicine?
And I’m still on that quest to gather information. This is one in a series of past blogs on the same topic that at some point I am sure I will turn all the info I gather into a book. But until then, I have to keep sharing the info as I uncover it.
The information is already out there. For years and even decades. But what’s really needed, what I think both you and I need, is something comprehensive, something that makes sense that we can apply to our lives right away and experience some limited success.
Let’s start with the questions floating around in my head. Like: Why do we need Calcium? It’s all about strengthening bones, isn’t it….?
You probably already know that spinach, dried figs, sesame seeds and sardines, are a few of the obvious choices for getting calcium from food.
NO CHEF. I DIDN’T KNOW THAT THOSE WERE GOOD CHOICES FOR CALCIUM. I THOUGHT I SHOULD TAKE A PILL.
Ok. Alright. Well now you do!
But knowing is just the beginning. The key is placing those foods into our diet. Actually making a list and going to the store to buy those things.
The second piece of this puzzle is pairing these items high in calcium with items high in Vitamin D.
WHY CHEF?
Well, according to my research it helps you process the Calcium better. So food high in Vitamin D include: Oysters. Oysters and…..spinach? Do I have to bring a bag in my purse and sprinkle them on when I eat out? lol…. Just askin’.
Now wait! I seem to remember Oysters Rockefeller having spinach. Am I right there? Do you know? Well, I can do that. And/or just order a spinach salad when I’m eating Oysters. Bingo!
And now that I think about it, that’s the key. To combine different foods that play nice together as a total meal.
Other Vitamin D favorites are processed Soy, (that’s an occasional thing for me) fortified Cereals (never) and all the other chemically ‘fortified’ ingredients on the market. I’ll personally skip on those, if you don’t mind.
NO. I DON’T MIND CHEF!
Good. Because I’m doing an ‘au naturale’ thing here….But here’s what calls out to me as a great combo – Salami, ham, sausages, eggs, mushrooms… sound like a good omelet to me! lol So add some spinach with all that calcium, and that’s a good game plan. (And just remember the salami, ham and sausage are really high in cholesterol and salt. Pick one of the three and go easy. Small pieces as a flavoring, instead of a ‘full on’ protein).
I was watching Dr. Oz the other day, and he usually has some interesting guests on that make claims that are sometimes true and sometimes not. And I think the only way you can know what is right for you and your body is to try. He talked about Mufa and Pufa. Mono and Poly Unsaturated Fat. And here’s what I got out of it: In order to let belly fat go, for example, you have to first add some healthy fats to every meal. We’re talking about Coconut Oil, Olives and Olive Oil, a handful of nuts, avocado, cocoa nibs. Can you tell me who doesn’t like any of the things on that list? I’m all in! lol
And Dr. Oz is saying do a serving at every meal…. maybe the coca nibs or the nuts for dessert? Yum. I like that.
Ok, onto Pufa. The Poly Un Sat Fats are found in Salmon, Mackerel, Sardines, Pine Nuts, Seaweed and Sunflower Oil and Sunflower Seeds. He says it relaxes your fat in order for you to let go of some of it and store less.
SARDINES? YECH!
Now c’mon. Are you saying that because you know? When is the last time you actually had sardines.
SILENCE.
That’s my point. Even if you were forced to eat them once as a child, your taste buds have developed since then yes?
YES CHEF!
So I guess what I am suggesting is that we re-think what we eat, find out first what will be best for us as a daily diet and then actually make the purchase and incorporate it into our lifestyle. Makes sense?
YES CHEF!
Good. I like it when we’re playing on same team.
Ok. I’ve already got the salmon, the nuts and the oil thing going. But I will try the sardines and mackerel… to see how and if that works.
But as I explore all this, I have also been exploring natural cleanses…. and for my body type? A vegan experience is a good cleanse for me. So I have been consuming more vegan meals. But I guess I can fit in the sardines and mackerel…. (It’s sort of funny how I am already looking for excuses not to eat them)! lol
The last thing Dr. Oz was selling (and make no mistake about it, when his sponsor is milk? He sells you on the concept of milk – even though everyone knows our bodies cannot process today’s milk)….was FBCS…. a fiber he says that attaches to fat after a bad meal and can get rid of 500 calories a day.
Well, that piece of the puzzle is going to have to take a little more investigation. Have there been studies about FBCS?
In America, it’s marketed as ‘Calorease’. And here’s what Wiki has to say about this product:
FBCx forms a stable complex with the dietary fat which prevents lipase from digesting the triglyceride and the normal gut flora from using it as a carbon source, thus preventing the side effects of the lipase inhibitors.
There are no known negative side effects except for, as it is a dietary fiber, gas if you take it without having fat in your meal.[medical citation needed]
Animal and human studies are consistent with each other in demonstrating positive side benefits to taking FBCx.
- Lower blood (LDL or bad) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels[8]
- Lower blood triglyceride levels
- Preferentially lowers blood saturated fat and trans fat levels
- Increased insulin sensitivity
- Increased leptin sensitivity – increased satiety[9][full citation needed]
- Improved glycemic index of foods and improved glycemic control[10]
- Resolves chronic diarrhea and constipation immediately (anecdotal evidence)[citation needed
WOW CHEF! THAT SEEMS WORTH TRYING!
Well, I would say do more investigation if I were you. And so will I. And if we’re both satisfied, we should give it a try.
I know I have a tendency to jump right in and try something that sounds good. But I also know that if I don’t research something enough, if I find that enough testing has not been done, I am happy to skip as someone’s guinea pig!
But I do have sardines and mackerel on the list now… and that’s a good start! And two good things to create new recipes with that I haven’t done before! Recipes keeping the wheat out…. so that means no breading, or bread, no pasta, etc. It won’t be easy…. but as always, I am up for the challenge!
Happy Eating,
Chef Marian