What foods have contributed most to your overall health?

[jbischke]

Looking back on 2006, all of us added certain foods to our diet and subtracted others. I'm curious as to what foods people here have added that they have felt have improved their health the most this year. I'll start...

Cucumbers - According to the Alkaline diet, cucumbers are one of the best foods you can eat. I started the habit of chopping up a large cucumber and a large bell pepper and threw them in a baggie with some baby carrots. This was a great snack and added at least a half-dozen servings of veggies to my daily diet.

Wheatgrass - A coach of mine suggested wheatgrass on the days when I was feeling a little run down. While training for my last marathon I had a few rough stretches and sure enough, some shots of wheatgrass allowed me to continue to train without missing a beat. I do the Jamba Juice thing and get a double shot on the days when I'm feeling a little less than optimal.

Trader Joe's High-Fiber O's - Discovered these earlier in the year and they are a staple of my diet now. They're whole grain and pack a ton of fiber. One thing I noticed when I switched to eating more fruits and veggies is that I was hungry more and this is a great and convenient way to sneak some high-quality calories into the diet.

OK, your turn!

[skinnyninja]

No super-healthy foods here....but I've made some huge changes compared to my old diet (which was primarily steak, burgers, mayonnaise, bacon, pop tarts and zingers).

I'm now eating a plate of raw veggies almost every day, including broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots. I'm also eating chicken instead of beef and brown rice. I've probably eliminated a lot of empty calories and fat each and every day. Also drinking more veggie juice and I've cut way down on the carb-filled sweets (like zingers and pop tarts).

Oh! I'm also eating approximately 2 bananas each day.

[Tabs]

Omega -3 tablets and airborne that is my magic food.

[joshbickford]

In my case it isn't what foods I have been eating, it's what foods I haven't.

I cut way back on how much food I eat, and in the last 3 years have lost about 55 pounds. I need to add fruits and veggies to my diet, cause right now it consists of a lot of soup and sandwiches.

[Lucinda]

living foods.

green smoothies.

kombucha tea.

[jbischke]

Green smoothies?

Do tell more!

[Susie]

I've been eating this breakfast for years-- a big bowl of good ol' fashioned steel-cut oatmeal. Optional addition is a whole apple chopped into small pieces or other fruit and some cinnamon. It's very filling, and very good for you!

I found this list online:

Moderator note:

I've had to edit and remove the (very detailed and informative) list that Susie posted due to it being a violation of copyright. It's fine to post a short "snippet" of information about a link you include in a post so long as it falls within the fair use copyright laws. You can find more information about fair use here. You can find the full version of the list Susie posted here:

Top 10 Reasons To Eat Oatmeal

Additionally, I've included a very brief summary of the list below, but if you have any interest in the benefits of eating oatmeal, I'd advise you to check out the (much more informative and interesting) full version of the list that I linked to above.

- Bruce Achterberg

1. Oatmeal may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

2. Oatmeal significantly slows down your digestive process.

3. Most U.S. households currently have oats in their cupboards.

4. Eating oatmeal may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.

5. Most oats found in your grocery store are 100% natural.

6. A diet that includes oatmeal may help reduce high blood pressure.

7. Oatmeal contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, complex carbohydrates, and iron.

8. Oatmeal may reduce the risk for certain cancers.

9. Oatmeal is quick and convenient to prepare.

10. The combination of flavors you can fit into a serving of oatmeal is limited only by the imagination.

Source: Top 10 Reasons To Eat Oatmeal. Article originally posted by Susie. Article summarised and modified (so that it falls within fair use copyright laws) by Bruce Achterberg.

[qborden]

Here are a couple of links about Green Smoothies:

http://www.rawfamily.com/articles/odetogreen.pdf

Green Smoothie Revolution! - Raw and living foods support - tribe.net

Best regards,

Quincy

[annie]

Fresh squeeze OJ (Naked brand).

I'm sooo excited that Sam's Club carries this! $6.25 a gallon (but that's reasonable considering it's fresh and it's 3 times more in a health food store!)


It's my best new discovery as far as health food this year. (It cleans me out great! TMI...I know :P)

[Cassie]

I love the cucumber/bell pepper/baby carrot idea! And thanks, Susie, for providing that oatmeal link. Some great ideas here ... *tummy growls*

[shesaboutspirit]

I loved the thoughts that Steve posts somewhere on his blog, where he talks about dedicating the time to preparing all of the veggies and other healthy foods that he eats.

I've also found that if I can make a ritual out of the chopping and cutting part...and making it easy to get to, the rest is very pleasant as well. Ever mindlessly eaten a bag of cut veggies while sitting in traffic? No dip necessary...and your body will thank you.

I personally enjoy ritual and will stick to the ones that are fun, like adding music or candles. If you're the social type (not me), sharing the slicing and dicing and the veggies with a good friend while catching up might be nice.

Thanks for this question and feedback, I'm inspired enough to head to the store for more veggies.

Pam

[Steve Pavlina]

I like eating an organic fuji apple first thing in the morning before I hit the gym. Fuji apples are mild in tartness, they digest easily, and they provide just enough oomph to make it through a 60-minute workout w/ high energy. The ones I normally eat are small, less than 100 calories each. I often eat one in the car while driving to the gym. Whether I do an aerobic workout or heavy weight training, a single apple keeps my blood sugar stable without bogging me down like a heavier breakfast or shake. So ultimately I'm able to do a better, stronger workout.

[jbischke]

Originally Posted by shesaboutspirit

Ever mindlessly eaten a bag of cut veggies while sitting in traffic?

All the time. I don't particularly love my raw veggie mix but if I do it up in the morning and eat it while driving to work it actually seems to taste better for some strange reason.

+ I second (or third or whatever) the suggestion about oatmeal.

+ The green smoothie recommendation? That alone made me glad I started this thread. The only thing about that that I have a question about is the mixing of fruits and vegetables. Several of the books on juicing I've read have said *not* to do this (or only to mix apple with vegetables). I've never really understood why so maybe this isn't a big deal. Thoughts?

[ReallyGoodIdeas]

Yeah - I have been doing the green smoothies and recommend them heartily. I heard about not mixing fruit and vegies too, but don't know what's behind it.

My favourite is a green soup:
1 avocado
1 large handful of greens (lettuce, parsley, broccoli, spinach, other greens?)
1 lebanese cucumber
1 tomato
1 clove garlic
1 apple (I've used granny smiths, fuji, royal gala)
juice of 1 orange
pinch sea salt if you like.

Stick them all in the blender and wizzzzz! Yummm!

[jbischke]

Been doing the green smoothie thing the last few days and really dig it. I don't have much problem getting lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, etc into my diet but I always had a more difficult with super-healthy veggies like kale. It turns out that kale seems just about perfect for green smoothies. In the words of Borat, "I likes."

[Healthyfit]

Right now it is:

1. Kashi

2. Kale (Discovered how great this was when the spinach was off limits due to Ecoli...good comes out of all things )

3. Okra

4. Carrot Juice

5. Water with Lemon Juice

6. Garlic

7. Activia

8. Herbal Tea

[jbischke]

Sweet post!

I'll second Kashi (love that company!), Kale (now a key component of my green smoothies), Garlic (the first thing I turn to when I feel run down) and Herbal Tea. The other suggestions are good too.

The only one that I'm not sure about for me is Activia. I've been trying to steer clear on dairy in recent years because I have a history of sinus problems and I've read a number of places that reducing or eliminating dairy from the diet can do wonders for this (it certainly has for me). Any thoughts on this?

[ReallyGoodIdeas]

You know Kale is not something we see a lot of in Australia, but you guys are on about it so much, I'm buying seeds!! Wish me luck!!

joy and green smoothies for all
Hazel

[thadroe]

Originally Posted by ReallyGoodIdeas

You know Kale is not something we see a lot of in Australia, but you guys are on about it so much, I'm buying seeds!! Wish me luck!!

joy and green smoothies for all
Hazel

Yeah, Kale is probably one of the best things I've added to my diet. Not just over the past year but over the past few years. I love to make sesame Kale and eat it in a pita with hummus.

Goji berries is what I've added during the past year.

Thad

[Conan Stevens]

Fresh meat and fresh vegies/fruit - nothing canned or bottled, no western style manufactured foods.

There is no one magic product, no magic pill - diet is an overall package. Fix the entire thing and you'll get benefits you could not dream of.

And if you don't eat meat then study proteins seriously, you need to balance and complete your amino acid profiles.

And yes complete proteins are necessary for your body.

[madgeylou]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

I like eating an organic fuji apple first thing in the morning before I hit the gym. Fuji apples are mild in tartness, they digest easily, and they provide just enough oomph to make it through a 60-minute workout w/ high energy.

i've been eating organic apples (galas are my favorite) for breakfast the last few weeks. if i'm extra hungry, i will have a spoonful of cashew or almond butter as well. it's a *great* breakfast. man, some mornings that apple tastes just like it came out of the garden of eden!

it's important that they be organic, though. the conventionally-grown (read: heinously-grown) ones just dont have the same fresh watery tart/sweetness to them.

[Angela]

Fuji apple plus a couple tablespoons of nut butter or whole nuts -- world's most perfect combination! Tastes wonderful and is the ideal pre-workout meal.

[dlindy2730]

Def. Kombucha, I used to get mine at GetKombucha.com before I bought a culture from them and started brewing my own!

[Jesse E]

Grass-fed beef.

Raw cheese.

Raw cream.

[jbischke]

Would love to more about Kombucha. Have it every once in a while but would like to have it more if it makes sense.

[JAlvy]

I have to second (or third, I suppose) the fuji apples. I never realized just how many different types of apples there were, and how different they all taste! On the rare occasion that I would eat apples, they'd be red delicious. Which now taste terrible to me.

My newest favorite food are avocados. In fact, I've been fiending a bit, since my local market hasn't had them lately. I'll scoop out slices with a teaspoon and put them on wheat crackers, and it's a very fulfilling snack. Tuna mixed with avocado also is excellent.

I always started on the other end, figuring out things to not get. The way that worked for me was not getting anything from a place that has a drive through (McD's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Burger King - all of which are within 2 minutes of my house!). This allowed me to at least choose a "healthier" option on the occasion that I do get fast food (Subway, Qdoba).

In the mornings, I also like egg whites mixed with one egg yolk and cheese, or natural yogurt mixed with blueberries. I'd like to get more oatmeal and cereal into the mix. But oatmeal is just... blah, I've yet to find the magical combination to make it appetizing to me. For cereal, I eat Honey Nut Cheerios. I know I could go with a healthier option, but I like to have a little sugar in the mix. Does anybody know of anything with more sugar than bran flakes but less sugar than Cheerios?

[Dimitry]

Pretty much what a lot of people here have said:

Switch out the bad (or not so good) for the ok to good and great foods.

Lots more fruits veggies, more whole grains than processed. Less meat and more lean, fish, sea food. No pop, only water, tea and sometimes 100% juice.

Once in a while I take supplements my mom recommends (whether it be for 30 day cleanse, energy boost etc)..

[m0vingon]

My new favourite food is Quinoa. Healthy, yummy, and cheap! Toss with chopped veggies and a bit of salad dressing or plain yogurt. yum

[Gene]

Originally Posted by jbischke

Looking back on 2006, all of us added certain foods to our diet and subtracted others. I'm curious as to what foods people here have added that they have felt have improved their health the most this year.

Fresh raw vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, actually most raw veggies.

I also feel good when I include apple cider vinegar in my diet as a dressing for my veggies.

I avoid fried foods and other fats and stay away from desserts hight in fats and sugars.

I feel better when I follow this plan of eating and exercise.

[escapee]

Hi Gene, This article concerning fats, protein and carbohydrate may be of your interest .