Simple Changes that may Help…

  • Sit down and eat…Sitting while eating encourages more mindful eating. It can lead to better portion control and will result in consuming fewer calories. Standing encourages rushed eating and loss of fullness cues.
  • Put off dessert…Instead of going for dessert immediately after dinner, take a short walk. Even 10 minutes can lead to better glucose control, and boost digestion, after which you can treat yourself.
  • Eat with Chopsticks…If you are a fast eater, try chopsticks for a couple of meals. It can encourage slower eating which will train your body to slow down and enjoy the meal. You will consume less calories without trying. I personally have more food on me when I eat with chopsticks, but don’t let that discourage you.

Mushrooms as Medicine…

Depictions of mushrooms, in hieroglyphics, date back some 4,600 years. They were prized by the pharaohs in Egypt and believed to possess properties of immortality. Mushrooms are low in calories, high in fiber, low in cholesterol and low in sodium. They have their own taste category umami. Ancient civilizations never cultivated mushrooms but allowed them to grow in the wild. Skilled persons knew the difference between edible as opposed to poisonous. Many met their intentional demise via poisonous mushrooms such as the roman emperor Claudius. Ancient Asian civilizations believed mushrooms supported health by strengthening the immune system, in particular shiitake and maitake varieties. Mushrooms lack color, roots, leaves and seeds and are classified as fungi which is why so many people do not find them a desirable meal choice. They are extremely high in selenium, iron, copper, potassium, and niacin. In spite of the fact that they are grown in the dark, mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D (sunshine vitamin) and this vitamin is increased if mushrooms are left in the sun for even 5 minutes before use. There are now so many different types of exotic mushrooms- heishi, cordyceps, turkey tail etc. but even the common white button mushrooms are now believed to hold strong properties that can benefit the immune system. Try exploring the different taste sensations whether you incorporate them in soups, sauces or with other vegetables. My favorite is with breadcrumb stuffing.

https://realmushrooms.com/blogs/rm/7-medicinal-mushroom-benefits-for-health
https://rrcultivation.com/blogs/mn/exploring-the-role-of-mushrooms-throughout-history?srsltid=AfmBOoo2zoXUJtTwmDguSRxuvn94gQww0xKWn4AjF2O4WdzNamh216tl

Tomato Power…

Tomatoes now come in all shapes (plum, beefsteak, grape) and in a variety of colors (purple, green, yellow, red, orange). However, all contain the powerful phytochemical lycopene. Lycopene, an antioxidant, plays a role in cancer prevention, heart disease as well as many other diseases. A study in Cancer Causes found that men who consumed a diet that included a regular consumption of tomatoes had a 28% less chance of developing prostate cancer. Lycopene has also been connected to protecting the skin from overexposure to sun as well as maintaining bone mass in women. Lycopene is more accessible when tomatoes are cooked. Cooking breaks down the cell walls and increases the potency of the vitamin. Combining cooked tomatoes with olive oil or avocados increases the absorption, since lycopene is fat soluble. Think red sauce, gazpacho soup, or salsa. Yellow tomatoes have a stronger concentration of beta carotene which is converted to Vitamin A. Vitamin A is extremely important for eye health. The belief that tomatoes should be avoided for people with arthritis has little proof to back it up. In fact, tomatoes are anti inflammatory if anything. Experiment with all the different ways you may consume this fruit and enjoy them especially in the summer when sun ripened tomatoes are available,

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-tomatoes

https://chicagohealthonline.com/7-health-benefits-of-tomatoes/

The Potato Good or Bad?

Americans consume about 50 lbs. of potatoes per person per year. Potatoes have an extremely high level of Potassium an important mineral for the heart. A substantial amount of this mineral is contained within the potato skin. A small potato contains about 23% of the daily requirement of potassium, along with B6 (neurological health), iron, magnesium, vitamin C and fiber. Despite the fact that potatoes have a high glycemic value, they contain what is known as resistant starch. Resistant starch acts in the same way as soluble fiber by providing food for the microbes in our gut as well as helping with blood sugar control. Eating potatoes is also associated with weight gain however they are quite filling and can even curb hunger pains. There is evidence that a certain protein in potatoes Proteinase inhibitor 2 (P12), can curb hunger. Fried potatoes do have a high level of saturated fat and salt and a baked potato is usually topped with an excess of butter and sour cream. Although a potato is a vegetable, it should not be viewed as a replacement for a green vegetable. It should be looked upon as the starch portion of your plate (rice, pasta). How about mashing potatoes with olive oil and spices? Make use of all the different colors that potatoes are available in. Each color is richer in a particular vitamin. There is always the much more tasty, Sweet or Japanese potato which need very little to enhance their flavor. Moderation is always key (make fries a sometime food) but elimination of the potato from our diet may be more detrimental then beneficial.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-potatoes