Aspartame - Yuck

Giving up meat for me - easy.

Giving up soda - Oh my god! Hard Work.

I switched to diet soda last year after a root canal and always heard little things about artificial sweeteners but never put much thought into it. After researching it recently on my new health obsession, I realized the awful things surrounding aspartame and similar sweeteners. Soda has always been my guilty pleasure :) .

This is day four and the caffeine withdrawal headaches are awful! Once I stop depending on it though, I know I'll be so much better off. I have been reading all of my labels lately and it's even in Crystal Light powders. I've been sticking to water, soy milk, and 100% juice.

Many sources list over 90 side effects from aspartame and describe it's FDA approval process as very suspicious. People close to me know I have a general distrust for the FDA anyways.

I don't want to go through and list 90 different side effects, but go ahead and search for it yourself if you weren't already aware of the associated problems.

Does anyone have any ideas for kicking a caffeine addiction?

(That clever graphic is from healingdaily.com)

Oh, Nuts! and seeds, and legumes!

Since becoming vegetarian, nuts have become my new best friend. Like I have mentioned before, I keep some on my desk and eat a few handfuls a day. Besides being a great protein substitute for meat, they have many great nutritional benefits. Hey, they're even in the meat group on many food pyramids.


They do have some fat, which is sometimes called "good fat." What does that mean?
Almonds and walnuts, my two personal favorites, have recently been show to lower your bad cholesterol (a benefit of monounsaturated and polyunsatured fats). Thus, they may reduce the risk of heart disease and related problems as well as colon and lung cancer (American Heart Association.) The fat in nuts gives you needed energy and calories and can help you curb cravings for more unhealthy snacks. Looking at my jar, I also see that they have Zero mg. of cholesterol.


What nutrients do they contain? Fiber, iron, vitamin E, potassium, niacin, zinc, phosphorous, biotin, riboflavin, and selenium to name a few. My current jar of vanilla bean almonds have 20% of your daily magnesium (helps you absorb calcium, prevents abnormal blood clotting, helps maintain blood pressure); which leads to something else great about them - they don't get boring. You can get different flavors, textures, healthy and semi-sinful - but chocolate has many benefits, too - so I say go for it. They go great in salads, side dishes, main dishes - there are lots of ways to cook with them, have them in "butters," or just plain.


There are so many different kinds, too - in case you're not a fan of some.
Almonds, Cashews, Hazel Nuts, Macadamia Nuts, Peanuts (a legume), Pecans, Pistachios, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Walnuts, that's all that come to mind right now but I'm sure there are many more.


Eat an ounce or two a day for health!

My Progress

Going vegetarian can be confusing. Several people have asked me to post more examples of what I eat in a day. This is what I have kind of gravitated to:

Breakfast: a bowl of cereal or two, two Eggos, or two packages of oatmeal. I have fortified orange juice or chocolate soy milk to go with it. I take a supplement with all of the B vitamins with breakfast.

Morning Snack: Then to stick with my several small meals a day, I have an apple w/ peanut butter, banana, orange, or whatever type of fruit I have at the time . I try to drink a glass of water in between breakfast and lunch.

Lunch: I try to eat a lot of my carbohydrates and calories here, as they will likely be burned off before the end of the day. This means pasta, rice with veggies, veggie sandwiches, vegetarian soup or chili with crackers, etc.

Afternoon snack: I usually cut up different veggies like carrots, cucumbers, green peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms and eat them with some type of veggie dip or salad dressing. Again I try to drink a full glass of water in between lunch and dinner, too.

I keep a jar of sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, cashews, and walnuts at my desk. I usually eat a handful or two a day for some added protein and energy.

Dinner: I will usually have a meat substitute at dinner and go a little easier on the carbs since I tend to eat later than most people.

Boca makes great crumbled 'hamburger' that comes in individual packages - great for tacos or other beef dishes.

Another great one is Morning Star corn dogs. They taste like the real thing without the ground up rejected animal parts and rat droppings.

I will usually accompany it with a big salad or steamed vegetables. Steamed vegetables are made so easy now. You throw the whole bag in the microwave for two minutes and that's it!

I take a multi-vitamin with a small snack before before bed and try to drink another glass of water. Drinking a lot of water is kind of pain for me. Do we really need eight glasses? How much of the 64 ounce recommendation do we probably get from food? I will have to look that up when I get a chance.

I hope this was some help to you newbie or aspiring vegetarians. For those of you experienced veg*ns, is there anything I could change or do better?

Live Long and Prosper

Being a vegetarian is hard work. It requires a lot of thoughtful planning and discipline. Is it worth it? I think so. Keep your heads up and stick with it! Here are some of the benefits that you get from being a VegHead:

The most common benefits I hear about are a decrease in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood lipid (fat) levels, meaning a lower risk of heart disease.

Marie-Louise Meilleur, who lived to be the world's oldest person at age 122, was a vegetarian. She lived a vegetarian diet with small amounts of wine, chocolate, and olive oil.

(theage.com)

Johanna Dwyer (registered dietition) has shown that vegetarians are at less risk for:

Obesity

Type II diabetes

Hypertension

Coronary artery disease

and gall stones among other health problems.

(cnn.com)

Here are some healthy meal ideas I found on NCSU.edu's health website.

They're all things I like to eat regularly so I thought I'd pass the suggesions on.

(well, except for grits :) )

Breakfast
cereal and milk or soy milk, omelet, grits, oatmeal, bran muffin

Lunch
spinach salad with whole grain crackers, peanut butter and banana on whole-wheat bread, meatless chili and cornbread, split pea or lentil soup, bean burritos or tacos

Dinner
vegetable stir-fry with rice, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti with sauce, pasta and vegetables, caesar salad, meatless enchiladas

Snacks
trail mix, cheese (soy option) and crackers, fruit, frozen yogurt, sunflower seeds, veggies and dip, pudding, vegetable juice, peanuts, granola bar

Calcium Without Milk

Calcium is an essential nutrient, everyone knows you need it for strong teeth and bones among other things such as blood clotting, nerves, and the heart. Many people consume large amounts to prevent problems such as osteoporosis later on in life. Many people also think milk is the best source of calcium; we need it. In piecing together the facts though, milk and cheese have a lot of protein. Excess protein decreases calcium, so is it that great of a source?

I've talked about alternative sources of protein, now let's look at calcium sources.You can get your calcium in a healthier way, from plant sources such as dark green vegetables, legumes, and soy products. According to "The Herbal Collective," the calcium from these sources are absorbed better than from milk.

While I am still drinking milk and consuming milk products, I am slowly reducing my consumption of them. I found an interesting fact in the book, "Being Vegetarian for Dummies." To sum it up, it says that humans don't even need milk after they're done nursing. Most people can't even digest cow's milk. People of Northern European descent have developed the ability because of the history of the tradition to do so. Lactose intolerance is becoming increasingly more widespread. I found supporting facts from the Harvard School of Public Health: "Certain groups are much more likely to have lactose intolerance. For example, 90 percent of Asians, 70 percent of blacks and Native Americans, and 50 percent of Hispanics are lactose-intolerant, compared to only about 15 percent of people of Northern European descent."

Here is the calcium content of some common foods:
(The RDA is about 1,000 - 1,200 mg./day) source: calciuminfo.com

1 cup of oranges has over 70 mg. of calcium.
1/4 cup of almonds has over 80 mg. of calcium.
1 cup of broccoli or peas has over 90 mg.
1 cup of baked beans has 150 mg.
1 cup of the average trail mix has over 160 mg.
1 cup of spinach has over 200 mg.
Some calcium-enriched products such as orange juice can give you around 300 mg. You can also find a variety of other calcium-enriched items such as soy milk, oatmeal, snacks, and my favorite - Goldfish crackers :) .
1 oz. of cereal can contain 200 - 1,000 mg.
1/2 cup of tofu can have over 250 mg.

Even if you're not concerned about the treatment of animals or the environmental effects, cutting out cow's milk products can save you from unnecessary cholesterol and fat, and prevent a harmful excessive protein intake. There are many tasty alternatives! :)

6 Reasons for 6 Small Meals

I've heard from many articles that you should eat five, sometimes six small meals a day instead of three large ones. I have never enjoyed eating a lot at one sitting so i wanted to know why it is better for you to spread your food consumption out.
The answers I found were:

One - that eating a large meal causes blood sugar and your insulin levels to rise very high, then during the hours of fasting before the next meal, to drop extremely low. Eating small meals can lower the effects/symptoms of hypoglycemia, which I had previously been tested for because of my constant need for something in my stomach.

Two - It helps prevent overeating and binging. Have you ever noticed if you have a large variety of foods to choose from you stuff yourself a lot more than if you just had two or three? You won't be quite as hungry when you eat so you won't be tempted to stuff your face. Also, being vegetarian, I found it helpful because you don't have to eat large portions of the same food, which is boring. Once your body gets used to smaller meals, it will likely shrink, and you will need less food to feel full.

Three - fat storage. If you don't eat regularly throughout your day, you will naturally store up what you eat as fat. Your body needs to learn that more food will be coming shortly, slowly teaching it to burn food as calories rather than storing it as fat.

"Eating the same calories spread out over smaller meals four to six times during
the day is supposed to raise the body's thermic effect, resulting in 10%
more calories being burned, according to Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of
sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center."

Four - Energy. If you have a set eating pattern without hours of fasting, some studies indicate your general metabolic rate goes up. This gives you more energy and can decrease your cravings. When you try to go hungry, you will likely start to crave high calorie, fatty foods which also is detrimental to weight loss.

Five - Cholesterol - "Smaller, more frequent meals appear to lower LDL-C primarily by reducing cholesterol synthesis in the liver." I found this on foodandhealth.com. Your body will start to absorb and store less cholesterol if you are eating more frequently.

Six - Cardiovascular Disease - Many articles state that increasing the number of meals (but eating smaller portions) improves blood lipids, which decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association states that after eating a large meal, your risk of a heart attack goes up by 400% for up to two hours.

So feel better about snacking while feeling better! Just make sure you choose healthy, high-fiber snacks.

Try and apple and peanut butter or veggies with low-fat Ranch dressing. Try not to indulge in potato chips and chocolate bars as your mini-meals though.

Food of the Week Archive

#1 - Tomatoes

One of my favorites... tomatoes. I chose them as my first food of the week because I love the taste and they're very good for you. They're an excellent source of lycopene, which helps prevent many types of cancer, heart conditions, and diseases of the eye by neutralizing free radicals. They are a great source of many other vitamins and fiber, and are of course, low-calorie. There are many ways to prepare them and many dishes to add them to.

#2 - Pomegranate

The pomegranate is a large fruit with glistening red seeds that account for over half of its weight. It has very thick, leathery skin. It is typically available in the US only around October or November, so I wanted to make sure I got it in soon. This fruit can help sustain healthy cholesterol levels, help with osteoarthritis, and improve prostate health. Besides having more antioxidants than most fruits have; it has polyphenols, which are anti-viral and cause anti-tumor activity. Some studies show it prevents hardening of the arteries, and can reverse damage already done. You can get your dose from juice, jams, or fresh fruit. They smell wonderful, too. I love my pomegranate shower gel.

#3 Spinach

Spinach is a great way to add nutrition, but not calories, to your diet. I mainly chose this to tie in with my iron post, since spinach is rich in iron. A source of Vitamin K, it helps with the absorption and regulation of calcium, a second major benefit for vegetarians. (It also has zing to "mineralize" calcium into the bone.)

It contains lutein, beta-carotene, and quercetin. These may help fight prostate cancer and heart disease. They could also prevent macular degeneration. The lipoic acid in spinach helps regulate blood sugar. It is also a good source of vitamin C and folic acid, important for women!

Spinach can be prepared many different ways but be sure to thoroughly wash it! (I'm sure you remember the recalls).

# 4 - Cherries - My favorite fruit :)

There is a long list of the benefits of cherries. For a full explanation, visit NutriCoach. Here are the major beneficial contents:

Ellagic acid: part of cancer preventing drugs

Perillyl Alcohol: anti-tumor

Beta sitosterol: lowers blood cholesterol levels

Quercetin: reduces risk of heart attack and stroke

They have high fiber content

They are of course, fat free, sodium free, and cholesterol free!

#5 - Alfalfa Sprouts

Going vegetarian encourages you to try new foods you never opened yourself up to before. One of my new favorites is alfalfa sprouts. I add them to salads and even include them in my veggie quesadillas. They add a great texture!

Here are some of the nutrients found in alfalfa sprouts:Vitamins A, B, C, E and KCalcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, ZincCarotene, Chlorophyll, and Amino Acidsand even a few grams of protein.

Another great addition to the vegetarian diet - they are also relatively inexpensive. One package of them for $3.50 lasted me over two weeks.They have a shelf life of 4 to 6 weeks as well, another plus.

Protein

Of course everybody needs protein, it is important for tissue growth and repair, hormone production, and immunity among other things.

My first thought when I was considering becoming a vegetarian was, "how would I get enough protein?" Many people have the misconception that meat is primarily the only way to meet your protein needs. Not true. Plants have protein, too.

The general rule is that if you're getting enough calories for your activity level, you are most likely getting enough protein anyway.

Here's how to figure out how much protein you need on a daily basis:

.36 grams X your body weight in pounds.
So, for a 130 lb. person, he/she needs about 46.

Here are the approximate protein values of some common foods:

1 serving of kidney beans = 24 grams
1 serving of lima beans = 22 grams
1 serving of tempeh = 18 grams
1 cup of lentils = 17 grams
1 cup of peas = 16 grams
1 serving of tofu = 15 grams
1 cup of rice = 13 grams
South Beach Diet cereal bar = 10 grams
1 oz. of pumpkin seeds = 9 grams
1 serving of chunky peanut butter = 7 grams
1 cup of cooked spaghetti noodles = 7 grams
1 oz. of almonds = 6 grams
1 cup of spinach = 6 grams
1 cup of corn = 5 grams
1 oz. of peanuts = 5 grams

Too much protein has actually been linked to many health problems. Many Americans, meat-eaters, probably are consuming too much. Which of course, increases fat and cholesterol, but the amino acids also make your body more acidic. Calcium from your bones is then taken to neutralize your blood. Excessive protein is also linked with diabetes, kidney disease, and prostate cancer.

A vegetable stir-fry with rice, a little pasta for lunch, a handful of nuts, and a salad a day - you should be able to easily meet your protein needs.

Veggie Food Pyramid

Following this pyramid will create a healthy, nutritious diet for you. As long as you are getting the recommended servings and getting enough calories for your physical activity level, you will feel great!

You usually eat more than one serving with each portion you eat. Here are some examples of what exactly constitutes a serving:

Whole Grains: 6 - 11 servings
1 slice of bread
1/2 of a bagel
1/2 cup of cooked rice, cereal, or pasta
5 - 6 crackers
1 tortilla
1/2 of a muffin or bun
1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal

Fruits: 2 -4 servings
1 apple, orange, or banana
1/2 of a grapefruit
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit
3/4 cup of fruit juice

Vegetables: 3 - 5 servings
1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or raw
3/4 cup vegetable juice

Nuts, Seeds, Legumes, and Meat Alternatives: 2 - 3 servings
2 tablespoons of any nut or seed
1/2 cup cooked dry beans or peas
1/4 cup tofu or tempeh
2 tablespoons of peanut butter

Vegetable Oils: 4 - 7 servings
3 - 5 tablespoons of plant oils

Dairy and dairy alternatives: 2 - 3 servings
1 cup of milk or yogurt
1 1/2 - 2 oz. of cheese

Getting all of your daily protein without meat is easier than most people think! I will go into more detail about protein requirements in the next post.

Why become Vegetarian?

Vegetarianism is becoming more and more common. A rough estimate is that approximately 7% of Americans are vegetarians or vegans. There are many reasons people decide to adopt a vegetarian diet.

Some do it to lose weight, as there are many health benefits. Some do it to help the environment. Others, such as myself, do it to prevent animal cruelty and protect animal rights. Some religious people do so out of their interpretation of the Bible.

I will expand on these individually in later posts, but here is a summary:

Health Benefits of a Meatless Diet:

You can meet your protein and calcium requirements but avoid the cholesterol and fat that comes along with meet. The foods are high in fiber and low in fat. You are encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables, which have a protective quality and prevent free radicals which cause cancer. Many studies show vegetarians have a reduced rate of coronary artery disease, obesity, and hypertension. Of course you must keep your diet balanced. Eating all twinkies and cheesecake is not a healthy diet.

See the next post for the vegetarian food pyramid.

Benefits to the Environment:

It takes a lot of water and grain feed to produce beef, which is very inefficient. One hamburger takes up more water than approximately 40 showers. People are also destroying forests and rainforests in Central and South America to raise beef. It is a weird fact but I read a statistic a couple of times that said livestock flatulence is responsible for 25% of global warming emissions. Meat production also causes an extreme amount of soil erosion.

Animal Rights:

Ever seen a video of modern-day farms and slaughterhouses? I have. The animals are treated very inhumanely and even abused. Most of them don't get to roam large pastures like they used to. They're crammed into spaces so small they can barely move in order to produce bigger quantities at cheaper rates. You can find these on many websites if you think you can handle watching one. Why should animals be bred to suffer through life and killed in painful ways so we can eat greasy, cholesterol-filled meat?

Religious Reasons:

This was a topic I came across on accident. I had no idea this was a reason for vegetarianism. Apparently in the Bible, it says in Genesis 1:29 "…God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be for meat." It never mentions animals for food.

Isaiah: "He that slayeth an ox is as he that killeth a human."

Hindus are commonly vegetarian. They believe what they do to animals will end up happening to them. Buddhism also reflects that belief, of karma, and doesn't think any life should have to endure suffering. Many Islam followers are vegetarians because they can not eat meat that is improperly slaughtered, which is hard to come by.

Buddha: "To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana."

Why did you become a vegetarian or vegan?