An email from/to a friend

So I posted something on another blog about eating habits and other stuff where I got an email from a friend. I am posting it and my response. Please remember, I am by no way a professional nutritionist or anything, but have picked up a lot of info in my own search.


Amen brutha!!

I feel like 20 pounds skinnier, just by reading this! And need I mention that we are still out of work!! Holy Hell! I am glad you are happy! And can you please make me a list of all those ways you are cutting back on those rich yummy foods ya'll are eating? I am also trying to rid the belly. Damn food!! Thanks for the good read!!

Posted by Noel to The Mind and Times of A Java Junkie at July 5, 2010 8:10 PM

Well Noel,

The easiest way to cut back on all those sugary fatty foods is A. We just don't buy them and keep them in the house. (not even sodas) B. We learned a lot about ingredients and do not eat anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup, or anything that has artificial anything in it. That made a huge difference. We also only use turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw) we buy in the bulk isle, honey, agave nectar to sweeten things. Not totally giving up sugar is the key. But also an interesting fact...in the late 1800's, the average American diet had about 5g of sugars per day. The current is about 160g+. This is in part by us not knowing what is in the food we buy. I am constantly shocked by the amount of unnecessary things in foods. Just go to the grocery store one day and read the ingredients on a carton of sour cream. Sour cream really only needs 3 ingredients, sometimes 4. You find a generic brand that often at 10+ ingredients INCLUDING high fructose corn syrup (sugar)...IN SOUR CREAM! It is shocking. I have not lost the 60lbs I did in the past 2 year from exercise. I wish I could admit that I did, but it was solely off changing my eating habits! Another big thing for us is cooking at home (which I still struggle with). When I cook at home, the meals are heartier and I know what is in them. I can also control the portion size and keep the left overs to take for lunch the next day to work. Anyhow...i feel like I am sounding preachy, but I know I am just sharing what we have done. By the way...since you are out of work still, and I am sure funds are tight...fresh fruit and veggies are so cheap. Last night i took a ton of veg that I needed to eat before it went bad, sauteed it in olive oil, a little sea salt and ate it over some steamed brown rice. IT was AWESOME! If you buy the rice in bulk section, it is cheaper by the pound then if you buy it prepackaged. I actually made enough to have for lunch for 3 days. OH, and the last and most important, drink water....lots and lots or water. A nutritionist told us once to drink half your weight in ounces of water a day. (Me being almost 300lbs started only trying to drink 100oz a day to not drown). Anyway...there's your list you requested! I hope it helps you out.

Update on my goal

So I have bought some recipe books, watched some movies and bought a lot of great fruits, vegetables, and dried fruits and raw (and roasted) nuts. I love it! I am still trying to find the balance of 51% raw in my diet, but I have to say I am getting closer. I need to take the time to dive into some of the recipes I have read about. Sometimes it is a time factor. Lately it has been my crazy work schedule. All in all, I am getting better. I am feeling better too. I am losing a little weight, but you can see it in my face that I am affected by it. I have a better glow and usually in a pretty good mood! I love my juicer and making new combinations usually about 4-5 times a week. I am loving adding 1/2 lemon into the juices for a nice freshness! I will update again later!

Mom's Wheat Pancakes

So everyday of my childhood my mother would wake up in the early morning to make sure we all had a healthy breakfast to start our day. We had a rotation of oatmeal (not the instant kind), Cream of Wheat, homemade wheat pancakes, or homemade wheat waffles. The wheat flour used to make the pancakes and waffles came straight from our wheat grinder in the storage room. My favorite thing to do was to go dump the wheat in and listen to it grind and make the flour. While I do not have a grinder, I hit Whole Foods to get the bulk wheat flour for this recipe and have modified it from my mother's original recipe (which she mixed white and wheat flour) to only use wheat flour (but FYI, if you are lacking some of the measure, feel free to finish it with white flour like I did today. I was short 1/4 cup). I halved my mom's recipe and this makes 8 nice sized pancakes.

Wheat Pancakes - by Sandy Graham

1 1/4 cup wheat flour (sifted if fresh ground)

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. sugar (I like powdered sugar personally)

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 1/4 cup milk

2 Tbsp. oil

Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Pour onto warm non-stick pan or griddle. Wait until bubbles form and pop on pancake then flip. Cook for 30 seconds and remove from pan/griddle. Top with butter/jam/syrup or all of the above! Enjoy!

New Goal

So part of my goals this year is not just to eat healthier, but to understand food, the nutritional value of what we eat, and where our food comes from and how it effects us. I have been reading books and blogs, watching documentaries, and gaining a lot of info that I am still processing. I know things that I need to personally change, and things that I am doing well. I have no desire to be vegan or a raw foodist, but I do believe that integrating those types of foods into our diet and lowering the portions of meats in our diets will be highly beneficial to anyone who eats a "Standard American Diet".

So I bought the Jack LaLanne Juicer a few days ago. I love it. I have been making healthy tasty drinks that are boosting our immune systems and our energy levels! I LOVE IT! I cannot wait to hit the grocery store today to get more fruits and veggies to juice. I need to find something to use the pulp for. I am not quite sure what yet, but I am sure when I do find it, I will add the recipe to this blog! I am thinking the veggies will make a nice soup and the fruit pulp will make a good dessert. I love to come up with new things so am very excited!

I got a raw food cookbook and am reading through it and plan to make one of the dishes for dinner tonight. My goal by the way; to eat at least 51% raw at each meal! I don't think that is hard to do. For all those who are interested in some documentaries about food and where it is going, I found a website that has them to watch from the site. Here is the link.