The Omnivore's Dilemma

I just finished reading The Omnivore's Dilemmma, by Michael Pollan.

 

In this discussion, Pollan evaluates the food industry from a variety of aspects:

-- the industrial meal: food from corn

-- the organic industrial meal

-- the local sustainable meal: food from grass

And

-- the do-it-yourself meal: hunted, gathered, and gardened food.

 

In all the aspects, Pollan looks at the realities of the food industry and guides the reader in making decisions best suited for the reader. It is an interesting read of one man's journey and analysis of what we consider food.

 

This book confirmed my choices in pursuing quality fruits and veggies as well as meat. I did learn that meat is seasonal, and organic can mean a variety of things, which may not be my interpretation. I also am seeking to support local farmers when I can. The issue of food is complex, and it is empowering to be armed with information that can aid in better

 

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Eating Well for Under $30

I enjoy frequenting a market, Friendly Fruit Market, in New Bedford. The photo is a representation of the quantity of food I can get-- and ALL of this cost under $30!

Normally, I spend under $20, but this week I splurged on Japanese yams, gooseberries, pomegranate, a pineapple, apricots, and a honey dew melon!

*i like this kind of splurging!*

 

 

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I ate processed food........

I was out with a friend who had a craving for fried food. So, I had some.......

YUCK!

 

The diet coke tasted tinny, the food was warm, at best-- not colorful, but pretty bland, and it didn't taste like food. The French fries tasted like freezer burn, and the rest of the meal went downhill after that.

 

AND..... I didn't feel energized and satisfied after eating it. I felt heavy, sluggish and full.

To think that this is how many people eat regularly. Disappointing, honestly.

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Notorious Nineteen

Notorious Nineteen, by Janet Evanovich.

As a Jersey girl, I enjoy reading the escapades of Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter.  I have read and I own all nineteen books.  And what better thing to read when not feeling 100% on a Sunday, but this.
The books are light-hearted, and really have no plot-- Stephanie Plum bounty hunter, manages to solve something sketchy that is happening in Trenton, NJ, while blowing up her car at least once in the process...... although Evanovich is developing different characters and showing us different sides to the characters.  You can read this book without having read any of the other eighteen.

This was my Sunday afternoon, just resting and reading.  I thoroughly needed this after the long days and weeks that have accumulated so far this year.  I am ready for the high school swim season to be over;  I need a break.

Remedies

It is flu season, and the coughing and sniffles have attacked my swim team. Many are running for flu shots--- something I have never had, and yet, I last time I had the flu, I was sick for a mere four hours. My sister laughs because I took a nap and was better.

But many are attacked each year with the flu and colds that never seem to end. I think the quality if food we eat is a big factor in this-- way too many grains, meat that is overburdened with antibiotics and hormones, not enough fruits and veggies. Since I have gone predominantly plant-based, I realize I actually feel better.

The point of this is not to discuss a plant-based diet, but to share some remedies that are non-pharmaceutical in nature and yet have helped keep me healthy. In the picture, there is cayenne pepper, lemon juice, cinnamon and honey.

 

Cayenne Pepper-- I read somewhere that drinking a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper mixed in water will increase metabolism. I am not sure how true that is, but when I drank this the first time, I felt a burning warmth run through my body..... A tingling sensation. And after a week, my body seemed more 'regular'. Since then, I have gargled somewhat regularly with the pepper, similar to salt-water when fighting a sore throat, and have felt my sinuses clear up.

*i recommended this to a swimmer who has been congested since the start of the season. She claims this remedy doesn't work, as the sinuses drained and she felt it was worse.*. The problem is comprehension-- when the sinuses are draining, and we get sniffles, the immune system is fighting infection. It is doing its job. WE think we know best, and take a drug or medicine to stop the sniffles, preventing the body from doing its job. *asian mustard also works wonders with clearing sinuses*

Lemon juice-- lemon is a natural scouring agent, designed to clean the intestines. I drank a teaspoon of lemon in a cup of hot water and found it aided tremendously in keeping my system regular. I still use this from time to time, and recommend this for people who are eating a high protein diet and may not get the fiber necessary to clean the intestines.

Honey and cinnamon-- this is my most recent discovery. A friend shared on FB some of the properties of this combination. I googled it, and wow! It is amazing how many sites and properties of healing, cleansing and weight loss.

Currently, I am 'testing' the weight loss remedy. In the mix, I do feel my sinuses are clearer and I feel good. I am not sure about the weight loss-- it has been two days, but it cannot hurt to try.

 

In our society of take a pill for any bump, bruise or ache, I find it interesting that individuals are skeptical to natural remedies, and willing to take any thing on the pharmacy shelf. Granted there are times when we need the pharmacy, but I would much rather help my body heal naturally.

What remedies do you use?

 

 

 

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Slightly faster moving vehicles......

Progress...... Is sometimes slow moving.

 

Assignment for today: Run 30 minutes (attempt to finish 2miles) with 6x 30 sec bursts.

Actually completed: ran 17 minutes at a 10min/mile pace, 4 minutes faster than my last running pace, and walked the remaining 13 minutes. NO bursts or hard runs at the end of the run.

Result: I am pleased. I am able to run faster for a longer period of time than last week. I will take it.

Baby steps and I will get there. Focus is on proper form, not speed. I want to run pain free properly. No cheating or slogging along the way.

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Let's talk about lips

As a runner, swimmer, cyclist, kayaker, and lifeguard..... my lips take a beating.

Let's face it... they are out in the elements.  The sun, the wind, the cold, the heat..... my lips see it all.  And at times it is challenging to keep my lips healthy.  I don't want them to be chapped, or cracked.

And the reality, many of the products out there to aid in protecting my lips are not worth the cost of their packaging.  This is what I use to keep my lips healthy, as I battle the elements.

Burt's Bees makes wonderful products for the entire body.  I love each one of these.  One that is not listed is the 'Lifeguards Choice'  -- a weatherproofing lip balm for Sun and Snow.   This one is my favorite as it has zinc oxide in it, and really protects my lips while I am performing.

For those times when my lips do get chapped, I use the Satin Lips Mask, by Mary Kay.  The mask is designed like a scrub to gently remove the dry skin off my lips, so that the balms I use will then be able to protect my lips.  I use the lip balm from Mary Kay (Satin Lips can be purchased as a set), when I mask, as the product is designed to work in conjunction with each other.



*I know some of you are scratching your heads, as I sell Mary Kay.  How could I possibly use a different product.  My thoughts are to use what works, and what works well. *


What do you use to protect your lips?