I Need To Eat Healthy !

[AlittleSalt]

Deborah, Jiffy mix and Blueberries is better than an Eggo with blue looking syrup. You're eating healthier already.

I'm dealing with health issues myself, but if you need any help or support - I'll do my best to help you.

[Worth1]

I had baked chicken and green beans tonight it was easy.
A leg and thigh in a small skillet seasoned with salt pepper and garlic powder.
In the oven at 350 for one hour no cover or fiddling skin side up.
Take chicken out put in plate take warmed up green beans and put them on the plate.
Wash skillet and pan beans were cooked in.
Eat wash plate and flat ware done.
While I was waiting for the chicken to cook I washed and froze the other 20 pounds of chicken I bought in 1 quart bags.
Now I have 20 chicken meals for around $9.00.
Also I put up the dishes I washed last night and washed the other dishes in the sink and put beans in a pan to soak overnight for tomorrows chili beans.
Total time about 1 hour and 30 minutes eating and all.

This is about you not me I am just giving an example of what you can do.
If you live alone buy yourself a little cast iron skillet you will be surprised what you can cook in it.
I'm skillet rich I have six of them all for different needs.

Worth

[clkeiper]

Yeah! you go girl! I won't tell Worth... he's a softy anyway, he just wants the best for each of us.

[ginger2778]

Blueberries are good, but you should read the ingredients on that box of Jiffy. If you dont recognize some of those substances, you should not put them into your now getting healthier body. And there is no nutritional value at all in white flour, not much in refined corn meal either. You should also stay away from anything saying hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, because those fats clog arteries. You need your blood flow, girlfriend!
If you are feeling as lousy as you told us, baby steps are good, but might not be enough. Label reading is very powerful!
Wishing you good luck on this journey to better health.

[Aerial]

FDA is banning trans fat 3 yrs from now. But until then hydrogenated oil is everywhere in most every name brand packaged foods (cookies, hot cocoa mix, peanut butter...) It makes the food tasty, shelf stable and CHEAP. It is bad.

Trans fat is associated with a number of serious and fatal health conditions, including obesity, increased risk for heart attack, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and depression.

http://www.newsweek.com/fda-trans-fa...ithin-3-343640

Originally Posted by ginger2778

You should also stay away from anything saying hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, because those fats clog arteries. You need your blood flow, girlfriend!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Blueberries are good, but you should read the ingredients on that box of Jiffy. If you dont recognize some of those substances, you should not put them into your now getting healthier body. And there is no nutritional value at all in white flour, not much in refined corn meal either. You should also stay away from anything saying hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, because those fats clog arteries. You need your blood flow, girlfriend!
If you are feeling as lousy as you told us, baby steps are good, but might not be enough. Label reading is very powerful!
Wishing you good luck on this journey to better health.

Well yes and no.
A cup of white flour contains 12 grams of protein which is 26% of you daily requirement.
It also has 86 grams of carbohydrates.
A cup of beans has 39 grams of protein and 124 grams of carbohydrates.

Dietary fiber is another story a cup of beans has 25 grams which is 100% of what you need according to whomever.
One cup of whole wheat has only 13 grams of fiber.

Now on to corn which is one of my pet peeves.

I once had to be around people that couldn't keep their mouths shut about what other people ate.
One guy would say, I cant believe you are eating that garbage,(referring to corn tortillas I was eating).
His wife was some kind of self taught holistic diet specialist and he thought no one knew more than her.

I asked him if he ever heard of nixtamalization or had his wife.
He said no.
I told him then you dont know anything about corn.
When Europeans adopted corn they didn't bring the nixtamalization process with them.
It was the super grain and people were coming down with malnutrition from it.'
400 years later people not knowing anything about nixtamalization started cussing corn because they still didn't know of or have heard of nixtamalization.

I was raised on hominy AKA Pizole of all types, it has been through the nixtamalization process.
We made our own.
My parents knew corn wasn't nutritious without this process, where did they learn it?
I have no idea but they knew.

Of all of the fad diets out there, there is one that has yet to catch on.
That is the Mesoamerican and South American way of eating.
It is a very well balanced diet that anyone can get used to.
When I use the word diet I mean literally not what it has been turned into.
Everyone on the planet is on a diet if not they would starve to death.

Take what these people ate hundreds if not thousands of years ago and add a few crops from the old world and you can eat like a king and be healthy too.
Who could go wrong with Avocados Corn processed right Tomatoes Peppers Squash Fruit Beans Nuts Potatoes a Lizard or Armadillo and Fish namely Sardines where permitted.

Worth

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Well yes and no.
A cup of white flour contains 12 grams of protein which is 26% of you daily requirement.
It also has 86 grams of carbohydrates.
A cup of beans has 39 grams of protein and 124 grams of carbohydrates.

Dietary fiber is another story a cup of beans has 25 grams which is 100% of what you need according to whomever.
One cup of whole wheat has only 13 grams of fiber.

Now on to corn which is one of my pet peeves.

I once had to be around people that couldn't keep their mouths shut about what other people ate.
One guy would say, I cant believe you are eating that garbage,(referring to corn tortillas I was eating).
His wife was some kind of self taught holistic diet specialist and he thought no one knew more than her.

I asked him if he ever heard of nixtamalization or had his wife.
He said no.
I told him then you dont know anything about corn.
When Europeans adopted corn they didn't bring the nixtamalization process with them.
It was the super grain and people were coming down with malnutrition from it.'
400 years later people not knowing anything about nixtamalization started cussing corn because they still didn't know of or have heard of nixtamalization.

I was raised on hominy AKA Pizole of all types, it has been through the nixtamalization process.
We made our own.
My parents knew corn wasn't nutritious without this process, where did they learn it?
I have no idea but they knew.

Of all of the fad diets out there, there is one that has yet to catch on.
That is the Mesoamerican and South American way of eating.
It is a very well balanced diet that anyone can get used to.
When I use the word diet I mean literally not what it has been turned into.
Everyone on the planet is on a diet if not they would starve to death.

Take what these people ate hundreds if not thousands of years ago and add a few crops from the old world and you can eat like a king and be healthy too.
Who could go wrong with Avocados Corn processed right Tomatoes Peppers Squash Fruit Beans Nuts Potatoes a Lizard or Armadillo and Fish namely Sardines where permitted.

Worth

See what I mean? only the very best for us.


Thanks Worth for all you know and explain to us. I appreciate it. . otherwise I wouldn't (most likely) go looking for the information.

[Sun City Linda]

Worth, I am under the impression that the corn crop grown in this country is heavily GMO and heavily sprayed much like soy. Likely heavily processed as well. I like corn chips (with melted CHEESE of course =) and corn tortillas but wonder how much nutritional value may remain in these. I occasionally can find and purchase organic corn chips.

[ginger2778]

Worth, you are talking as though carbohydrates have any nutrtive value beyond energy supply. Pure white sugar has nothing but carbohydrate and I think most would agree there is nothing healthy there.
I would rather get my daily protein without the white flour attached to it, too many non nutritive calories for the paltry amount of protein present. Most Americans are not protein deficient, we get far more in our daily diet than the 3oz requirement. If you need 25 gramos /day of dietary fiber, you could get half from that only 13 grams in the cup of Whole wheat flour, then the rest from unprocessed fresh veggies and low glycemic fruits such as berries, pears, cherries, apples, stay away from tropical fruits, too highly glycemic for Deborah's diabetes. A cup of beans, for the apmount of calories packs way more nutrition in it than either flour.
BTW- as a medical professional, the word Holistic really makes my eyes roll. So much foolish non medicine and faux science is done by people saying they are wholistic, and others getting all happy about Holistic things, thinking they are being more natural and healthy. These folk remedies are used and no improvement takes place, and sometimes the patient gets better, usually worse, some even die.
So I agree with you about holistic Drs. and diet "specialists."
So, what do you think is healthy about Jiffy cornbread, and do you think it outweighs the non healthy aspects, or gives you enough nutrition for the smount of calories it has in it?
No controversy meant, this is meant as an intelligent and civil discussion, I consider you my friend, Worth.

Originally Posted by Worth1

Well yes and no.
A cup of white flour contains 12 grams of protein which is 26% of you daily requirement.
It also has 86 grams of carbohydrates.
A cup of beans has 39 grams of protein and 124 grams of carbohydrates.

Dietary fiber is another story a cup of beans has 25 grams which is 100% of what you need according to whomever.
One cup of whole wheat has only 13 grams of fiber.

Now on to corn which is one of my pet peeves.

I once had to be around people that couldn't keep their mouths shut about what other people ate.
One guy would say, I cant believe you are eating that garbage,(referring to corn tortillas I was eating).
His wife was some kind of self taught holistic diet specialist and he thought no one knew more than her.

I asked him if he ever heard of nixtamalization or had his wife.
He said no.
I told him then you dont know anything about corn.
When Europeans adopted corn they didn't bring the nixtamalization process with them.
It was the super grain and people were coming down with malnutrition from it.'
400 years later people not knowing anything about nixtamalization started cussing corn because they still didn't know of or have heard of nixtamalization.

I was raised on hominy AKA Pizole of all types, it has been through the nixtamalization process.
We made our own.
My parents knew corn wasn't nutritious without this process, where did they learn it?
I have no idea but they knew.

Of all of the fad diets out there, there is one that has yet to catch on.
That is the Mesoamerican and South American way of eating.
It is a very well balanced diet that anyone can get used to.
When I use the word diet I mean literally not what it has been turned into.
Everyone on the planet is on a diet if not they would starve to death.

Take what these people ate hundreds if not thousands of years ago and add a few crops from the old world and you can eat like a king and be healthy too.
Who could go wrong with Avocados Corn processed right Tomatoes Peppers Squash Fruit Beans Nuts Potatoes a Lizard or Armadillo and Fish namely Sardines where permitted.

Worth

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by Aerial

FDA is banning trans fat 3 yrs from now. But until then hydrogenated oil is everywhere in most every name brand packaged foods (cookies, hot cocoa mix, peanut butter...) It makes the food tasty, shelf stable and CHEAP. It is bad.

Trans fat is associated with a number of serious and fatal health conditions, including obesity, increased risk for heart attack, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and depression.

http://www.newsweek.com/fda-trans-fa...ithin-3-343640

I hope they find a decent replacement. Palm Oil isn't working, simply put: it's an ecological disaster.

West Africans and some Brazilians use it for cooking. If you're not accustomed to it, wow, it can really pack a punch. I've never run for the bathroom with such...enthusiasm. gosh darnoodley you Acarajé/Caruru.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Worth, you are talking as though carbohydrates have any nutrtive value beyond energy supply. Pure white sugar has nothing but carbohydrate and I think most would agree there is nothing healthy there.
I would rather get my daily protein without the white flour attached to it, too many non nutritive calories for the paltry amount of protein present. Most Americans are not protein deficient, we get far more in our daily diet than the 3oz requirement. If you need 25 gramos /day of dietary fiber, you could get half from that only 13 grams in the cup of Whole wheat flour, then the rest from unprocessed fresh veggies and low glycemic fruits such as berries, pears, cherries, apples, stay away from tropical fruits, too highly glycemic for Deborah's diabetes. A cup of beans, for the apmount of calories packs way more nutrition in it than either flour.
BTW- as a medical professional, the word Holistic really makes my eyes roll. So much foolish non medicine and faux science is done by people saying they are wholistic, and others getting all happy about Holistic things, thinking they are being more natural and healthy. These folk remedies are used and no improvement takes place, and sometimes the patient gets better, usually worse, some even die.
So I agree with you about holistic Drs. and diet "specialists."
So, what do you think is healthy about Jiffy cornbread, and do you think it outweighs the non healthy aspects, or gives you enough nutrition for the smount of calories it has in it?
No controversy meant, this is meant as an intelligent and civil discussion, I consider you my friend, Worth.

Marsha I am not arguing with you.
That is why I said yes and no I should have added respectively.
I put up what little information I did just wanting people to see what the difference was.
I used to eat a cookie every now and then and decided to make some one time.
I had never made them before so I looked up a recipe.
I saw what I was going to put in them and tossed the idea.

Did you know that if you ate pasta the way it was intended it would be okay for someone that moved around and was healthy?
I had to look up Jiffy Mix I had no idea what it was.
I by far think beans are better than any wheat product out there for nutrition but yet I am not on a no wheat band wagon.

I have also been around diabetic people all of my life, close friends type one and two.
Being around them and seeing the misery they go through has helped me keep my blood sugar normal.

I have never spoke of this but one of my friends went into convulsions a while back.
I played a very important roll in bringing him back because I know what to do and knew his condition.
Everyone else was standing around with their thumb up their butt.
I knew this man so well that when I saw him and his attitude is wrong I would go get him a cup of sugar water.
Poor guy he isn't over weight he has had it forever he doesn't brag about it he is ashamed and doesn't want people to know.

Worth

[BackyardFarm]

Originally Posted by Deborah

I eat chicken breast once in awhile. But deli fried. Sigh...
I do have a doctor and it's from blood tests that I know about the uric acid stiffness thing.
Whole grains are out of the question-I'll leave out the reason... I used to love Raisin Bran and in fact was looking at a box of it wistfully at the store today.
What's that roasted vegetable thing, olive oil and in the oven?
How do you make zucchini noodles? What's that half a squash with maple syrup and butter in the middle? See, what I mean? I'm not only not into cooking-I'm clueless.

Family Dollar and Walmart carry the Veggeti (as seen on tv section). It's $12-15. That's how I make my zucchini noodles. Wash the zucchini, cut off the end, put it in the veggeti and just turn it. Out pop the noodle like strands. Sautee those in a pan with some olive oil for about two minutes. Voila. Noodles.
You can also make sweet potato or carrot/parsnip noodles (can also be made into "potato" pancakes) or cucumber (good for a cold "pasta" salad) noodles with it.
Check out Inspiralized blog for recipes that are good. We really like lasagna made with these noodles. And her recipe will make 6 portions. It will keep in the fridge for about 3 days also.

I'm thinking you're trying to cut carbs since you want to do veggies instead of pasta? If that's true...Dreamfields makes a pasta that is low carb (but you must eat a smaller portion than is normally served) and there is one called Zero something at walmart is the produce and salads section that is zero carbs. Don't eat loads of that either as it will upset your stomach if you do. Figure less than a cup of cooked pasta (so a half cup uncooked) and then use lots of tomato sauce. You can do ground turkey or chicken if you don't want to use ground beef. For a vegetarian option you can do beans or minced mushrooms added for a good spaghetti sauce. Olives also add a meaty flavor.

Vegetables in the oven: Broccoli or cauliflower, Frozen or fresh florets, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with garlic and parmesan cheese. If you like spicy add a dash of red pepper flakes. Roast on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 25-40 minutes or until you see browned bits on the veggies. Very good. This recipe has converted many people who don't like either to liking them without needing cheese sauce!

Green beans are also good in the oven. Same as above but skip the lemon juice and do a little italian seasoning and garlic instead. Taco seasoning or some cumin and chili powder is also super tasty. Only them cook for 15 minutes. Whole green beans (frozen or fresh) work best because then they're easy to pick up with your fingers like fries.

We also like crispy garlic spicy beans. Heat a little oil (grapeseed is what I use for frying) until it sizzles when you sprinkle water on it. Add beans. cook for about 5 minutes, turning and tossing as you do until they start to get browned. Add garlic and hot pepper flakes, cook for another minute. Drain on paper towels. Salt as desired.

Spaghetti squash you can do in the microwave or the oven. I do mine in the oven. Cook at 350 degrees whole or cut in half. About an hour for whole. 30-40 minutes for halves. Just scoop out the seeds and toss. Then pull a fork through the middle to make "spaghetti" strands. You can add butter salt and pepper and toss around until melted.
Now it's ready for spaghetti sauce, mac and cheese sauce, parmesan garlic sauce, a bit of maple syrup or brown sugar...just whatever. You can also cook a stir fry with veggies and thin strips of chicken and put that on top of the "noodles" and add a little soy or teriyaki sauce.

Delicata squash is best (imho) when you slice it and roast in the oven. 350 degrees. about 20 minutes. I do thickly sliced onions with it. Toss the cooked slices on top of a salad with dried cranberries or pomegranate arils and yum! The slices are also good just cubed up as a side dish. I add a few bread crumbs and a sprinkle of cheese and toast under the broiler really quickly.

The other squash we like in my home is butternut. Sometimes I make it sweet sometimes I make it savory.
Sweet: I cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast for 30-40 minutes or until a fork goes all the way through. I scoop out the flesh and mash it with butter, a few shakes of cinnamon, and a splash of maple syrup.
Savory: I peel and cube up the raw squash (discard the seeds) into 1-2 inch pieces. Mix up dijion mustard, a little olive oil, a sprinkle of garlic and lemon and thyme or rosemary and add to the cubes. Toss around until well coated. Put in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until bits of the squash are browned and the biggest pieces are soft.

Carrots and parsnips are my favorite when sliced and simply cooked in a pan with just butter. Don't be afraid of butter. It's not bad anymore. Plus it tastes better than margarine.

If whole grains are out of the question...do you mean all? Or can you have rice and quinoa for example? Quinoa is very quick to cook and is a good protein source if you're vegetarian.
Rice (white) is gentle on the stomach and if you make a batch with broth instead of water is more tasty. It will also keep in the fridge for about five days.

So it sounds like no red meat or fish? Do you just not LIKE those or are you not to have them? If it's a question of taste I invite you to experiment a bit and see if you can find something you do like.
For example...I didn't like fish for the longest time until I found it doesn't have to be a premade tender/fillet or fried (both are yuck to me!). Gorton's makes plain fillets with lemon butter and garlic olive oil. Those are nice and mild if you want to try fish.

Chicken is easy to cook but lots of people over cook it and make it dry. I do what I call oven fried chicken. I take breasts or thighs and cover with beaten eggs, some panko crumbs or almond flour mixed with crushed almonds, italian seasoning, and garlic salt.
Basically homemade fried chicken. But instead of frying it I add or spray a little oil to a hot oven proof skillet (I use cast iron but you can use a regular skillet and just move the chicken to a baking pan). Drop the chicken on and cook for 3-4 minutes so the one side gets crispy. Flip over and pop into a preheated oven (450 degrees) and cook until done. It's not quite as tasty as fried chicken that's fried but it's pretty darn good and the chicken stays juicy!

When we decided to started eating healthy I started looking at Cooking Light magazine/website and Skinny Taste blog for ideas.
I recommend Cooking Light's 12 months of Healthy Habits because it takes you through eating more veggies, cooking more meals, taking up exercise, eating mindfully...just all the good habits but slowly so you stick to them better.

I hope this helps!

[Sun City Linda]

yep, pasta cooked "al dente" is much better. I think its because it does not break down as quickly. And it surprised me when I found out how much nutritional value beans can have. The Dash Diet? which is very popular starts you off pretty low carb but then switches to lots of beans and very little red meat as I recall. My Sis bought the book guess I should borrow it since I'm trying to eat better also.

[BackyardFarm]

Oh and I'm going to jump on the soda is bad for you wagon:

We cut out soda for good for about six months to break the habit. I bought propel, sparkling water, and made LOTS of iced tea (but cut down the sweetener each time) to get me through the sweet and bubbly drink cravings. I can now I have a soda when I'm out and be done and not want another. It's hard but you can break the habit!

[BackyardFarm]

Originally Posted by Deborah

For supper tonight I stuck some cherry tomatoes in refried beans and called it taco salad. See what I mean about cooking-I wouldn't even heat the beans.

I do that with taco leftovers!

Cherry tomatoes, lettuce or spinach, sometimes some onions, and I make up a dressing using avocadoes. Yummy!