SOME INTRO INFO ABOUT ME AND MY DIET
 
Several folks have asked me about my diet so I'll post some info below for those who are interested
Background Info: As many of you know I drastically changed my eating habits a few years back to improve my health. A side effect was I lost 55 lbs. (Nice perk) But I have done a great deal of reading on health and food and made changes to not only improve my health big increase my life span. Below are some recipies I incorporated. Many are "raw" meaning not cooked as that ist he only way to get the enzymes our body needs. You'd be AMAZED at the delicious desserts you can eat that are raw! Heavenly! (I have a BIG sweet tooth). My son cured himself of a deadly disease by doing the same... changing his eating habits.  I do love to eat.... and eating healthy does by no means mean deprivation.  
 
Anyone wishing further info feel free to contact me or I'll post more details here.  
 
Here is the Gist of What I Did:
 

• Quite eating sugar or any "bad" form of it such as high fructose syrup. (They sneek it in EVERYTHING as its addictive)
   
  Quite eating a great deal of processed foods.
   
  Started reading labels
   
  Started eating much for live food... fruits veggies..  
   
  Started juicing (as Im not a huge raw veggie person I drink a large glass of veggie juice a day, carrot mainly. Awesome way to get your veggies and LOTS of em in one glass!)
   
  Bought Organic as much as was possible.
   
  Start the day with a tall glass of spring or ionoized water. Drink 8-10 glasses a day.
   
  Quite eating any dairy. (you can get all the calcium you need from other foods.)
   
  Quite eating meat. (You can get all the protein you need from other foods)
   
  Quite eating anything with saturated or tans fat.  
   
  Did a series of colonics. The colon is the heart of our heath. It should weight 3 lbs. The average americans colon weighs 13-16 lbs. Unhealthy ones can reach 60 lbs. That means any over 3 lbs is toxins that have been sitting in our colon for YEARS. Because we don't eat any live food or get enough of the right fiber to clean it out.  
   
  

 
 
Benefits I noticed:
 

• 
  I never portioned out what I ate. I ate till I was full. After a while I noticed I ate less than usual. Once my body started getting the nutrients it needed I just wasn't hungry all the time. Most processed food we eat from the store is devoid of nutrients. Hence we are hungry a lot even when we eat. They are also full of chemicals, many which are put in to incite hunger. So we "crave" a lot.
  My cravings went away.
   
  I lost weight. As that was not my main focus (though I needed to do it) it was a whole different feeling. When you go on a "diet" (notice it has the word "die" in it, that typically means deprivation and not really eating better food.. just eating less. Thats why they don't work and most gain the weight back. As my goal was better health I was not focused on the scale.  
   
  Because I totally stopped eating the "bad" fat and only used canoloa and extra virgin olive oil, at one point I dropped an entire size WITHOUT losing weight.  It was amazing.  
   
  My taste buds changed dramatically. Once I 'cleaned my palate" meaning I stopped eating all the chemicals in processed foods, it was amazing how even something like an apple would make my mouth water. Things I never would have considered eating were now heavenly to me.  
  

 
Ok thats the gist of it. Any move you make to improve your health is beneficial.  If I were to give advice to someone just wanting to make some small changes it would be:
 
Eat less meat and dairy. Incorporate more live food into your diet. Drink more water. Take a 20-30 minute walk 3 times a week if possible. Walking is a great way to improve your health.  
 
Lastly I would say "read". I'll post a list of books I have read. It was the knowlege that truly made me change. And remember, anytime you read a book or hear of a "study"... always see who funded it. We are manipulated to great extends in this society into thinking what is good for us. meanwhile when you look around we are sick and dying and even children are now getting diseases that were once only seen in adults. Somethings is dreadfully wrong.  
 
 
GOOD BOOKS:
 
The Food Revolution By John Robbins (tops my list) Full of facts about our food and what is being done to it in the name of profit.
May All Be Fed By John Robbins  
Fast Food Nation Eric Schlosser  
Hundred Year Lie  Fitzgerald, Randall
Seeds of Deception Smith, Jeffrey M.
The Fluoride Deception  Bryson, Christopher  (about our water)
 
VIDEOS
Supersize Me
 
 
I have quite a few more but these are great ones if you want to learn about what your body needs and what is being done to your food.  
 
 
 

Broccoli Rabe Sandwhich
 
 
INGREDIENTS
 
Whole Wheat Submarine Buns (I get mine at walmart in the bakery section.. there like 1.50 for a bag of 6 and I keep them in the freezer cause I eat them so often.)
 
Frozen Broccoli (can use fresh)
 
1-2 Garlic Cloves minced (Fresh is always best)
 
1 TB Canola Oil
 
Hot Pepper Flakes (to taste… these are pretty warm so be careful) Get these in spice section... .50 a bottle.
 
Soy Provolone Cheese (Walmart sometimes has this in the produce section but I usually get it at the Kroegers by the Walmarts in their health food section)
 
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS  
 
Cook enough broccoli to fill the bun you choose.  
 
Sauté 1 or 2 cloves of garlic in oil with pepper flakes. Add cooked broccoli and stir for 2 or 3 minutes to mix flavors.  
 
Split bun and boil tops until brown.  
 
Pile broccoli on open bun on one side.
 
Place 2 slices of cheese over broccoli on bun. Place under broiler till cheese just melts Usually less than a minute.  
 
Cover with bun top.
 
 

YUMMY NACHOS
 
Mix the following and set aside.
 
2 seeded jalapenos peppers finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
5 tomatoes diced  
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1 tsp vinegar    
2 cloves garlic, minced
 
 
Drain:
1 15 oz can black beans ( the sauce is pretty thick on these... you want to get it totally off of them)
 
 
Make no-fat sour cream (Optional):
If you want a sour cream substitute you can use this. I'm pretty much off dairy now but I did use this at the start.  
1 16oz non fat cottage cheese (put in blender and add quirt of lemon juice and blend until creamy.
 
 
1 Bag Baked Corn Chips (I get Baked Tostitos at wal-mart)
 
 
Assemble Nachos:
Place a bed of chips on a plate. Put a bunch of the tomatoe mixture over them, then a a layer of the beans.  
(I actually mix my beans and tomatoes together and put it all on, but its a little fancier looking if you do them seperate)
 
Top with your no-fat sour cream if desired.
 

5 Veggie Slaw Salad
 
Combine following vegetables in bowl:
 
1 lb shredded cabbage  
1 lrg red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 lrg green pepper thinly sliced  
4 scallions thinly sliced on angle
Cucumber halved lengthwise & thinly sliced
 
 
Whisk following together in small bowl:
2 limes juiced    
1/4 cup honey
3 TB light colored oil  (canola is a healthy choice, so is extra virgin olive oil)
 
Drizzle over veggies.
 
 
Add Salt and pepper

Guacamole  
 
 
Ingredients  
 
2 avocados  
1 large tomato  
1/4 cup onion  
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)
1 large clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp Sea salt  
Cayenne to taste
1 TB Lemon juice (to keep from going dark)
 
 
 
Instructions
Chop up veggies into more manageable pieces and place all in food processor. Pulse till desired consistency.
 
 
Note: If you like it chunkier you can reserve a bit of the avocado and tomaoe out to chop and mix in by hand at end.
 

Different beans are great for you. Lentils are delicious and extra healthy. Have with a large salad.
 
Lentils  
 
Ingredients
 
1 cup lentils
2 1/2 cups water  
 
   
Instructions
 
Bring to boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer approximately 45 min for green and brown lentils.  
Orange lentils: approximately 20-25 (these get mushy which I like)

Raw Applesauce (SO easy and SO much more healthy than canned.)
 
 Ingredients  
 
4 apples, peeled  
2/3 cup raisins  
1/2 tsp Cinnamon  
 
 
 
Instructions
Put all in food processor. Will keep for weeks in fridge.  
 
 

Three Bean Chili - Thick and Rich!
 
 
Instructions
Heat 2 TB oil in deep pot over med heat.  
 
Combine the following:
 
Med yellow onion chopped
1 large red pepper chopped  
1 large green pepper chopped
1 lrg jalapeno pepper seeded/chopped  
4 cloves garlic crushed/chopped
 
Sauté 3-5 minutes.
 
Add to mixture:  
1 cup Vegetable stock (or beef but the vegetable is better for your obviously)  
32 oz crushed tomatoes
2 14 oz cans black beans  
2 14 oz cans kidney beans
1 TB ground cumin  
1 TB chili powder
1 TB cayenne hot pepper sauce (optional. I use cayenne pepper)
1 tsp course salt
 
Heat through then add for thickening:  
1 cup spicy vegetarian refried beans
 
Simmer 5-10 minutes.  
 
Serve in bowls adding toppings:
 
Toppings: (all optional)
8 oz soy cheese (I seldom use this)
Chopped scallions  
Diced plum tomato