Tuesday Open Thread ~ The Incredible Shrinking Waistline


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“If I hired one of the stock boys to chase me around the store with a licorice whip, I'd be thin by Christmas.” ~ Jennette Fulda

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Good Morning!

Welcome to Tuesday's Open Thread. As the title for today's OT indicates, I'm celebrating my incredible shrinking waistline! Thirty pounds lighter and not only do I feel healthier than I have in years, I fit into my Calvin Klein jeans again, the sashay in my walk has returned, and people keep telling me how good I look.

*grins*

So what magical potion have I been drinking to lose weight? You'd be surprised how many people have posed the question as if there was some magical solution. I sympathize. It'd be great if we could eat all the peanut butter cookies we wanted and then drink Alice's shrinking potion afterwards, but unfortunately that isn't how it works. Instead, I ate a lot of plant based food and stayed away from anything that was processed. After the first few weeks of eating this way, something interesting happened. My palate changed along with my cravings. As it turned out, there was a reason for this. I had interrupted a pattern in my brain that was craving foods loaded with sugar, fat, and salt.

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Food scientists caught on to the fact that our brains respond strongly to specific flavors (such as sweet, fatty, and salty), and armed with this knowledge, they began to modify our whole foods. They sucked out the water, the fiber, and the nutrients and replaced them with ingredients like corn syrup, MSG, seed oils, and artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors. All of this with the specific intention of inducing cravings, overconsumption, and bigger profits for food manufacturers.

They’ve turned real food into Franken-food.

These foods light up pleasure and reward centers in the brain for a different reason than nature intended – not because they provide vital nutrition, but because they are scientifically designed to stimulate our taste buds. The effect is a total disconnection between pleasurable, rewarding tastes (sweet, fatty, and salty) and the nutrition that always accompanies them in nature.

Modern technology has stripped the nutrition from whole foods, replacing them with empty calories and synthetic chemical that fool our bodies into giving us the same powerful biological signals to keep eating. This means we are eating more calories with less nutrition.

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Source: Hartwig, It Starts with Food, 2012

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Essentially overeating and the insatiable cravings that go along with it are the end result of messages your brain has been manipulated into sending you. Re-training the brain simply means focusing on food that doesn't have a list of ingredients created in a petri dish.

Simple but not simple.

This was especially true when trying to break my sugar addiction. What an eye opening lesson that was. I'd wake up in the middle of the night acutely remembering and longing for Café des Artistes Black Forest cake drizzled with a warm cherry kirsch. My salivary glands in over-drive, all I could do was munch on a few apple slices dusted with chile lime seasoning until the craving passed. Two very long weeks later, my sugar fixation finally subsided, allowing my body to focus on what it needed nutritionally.

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The last two months I have been experimenting in the kitchen finding new flavor combinations that satisfy both my healthy and deliciously edible requirements. Highlighting Trader Joe's Kale Cashew & Basil Pesto in two of the recipes I am featuring today, you will see why this wonderful product has become my go-to flavor enhancer for a variety of foods and recipes. It's vegan, it's versatile, it's healthy, and it's really tasty.

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“The food you eat either makes you more healthy, or less healthy. Those are your options.” ~ Dallas & Melissa Hartwig, It Starts with Food.

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Anja's Antioxidant Flavor Crunch
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Ingredients

1 – 10oz bag of TJ’s Cruciferous Crunch
3 tsp. olive oil
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced black olives
¼ cup TJ’s Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto
1 Garlic Clove, minced
4 hard boiled eggs
Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Sauté mushrooms until browned and set aside
  2. In a small bowl, mix vegan pesto and minced garlic together, set aside
  3. In a large, very hot skillet, add olive oil and a bag of cruciferous crunch
  4. Stirring frequently, cook for a few minutes until kale is soft
  5. Add mushroom and olives (leave some olives aside for garnish)
  6. Turn off heat and add vegan pesto mixture, stirring until mixed well
  7. Add chopped eggs, remaining olives, salt and pepper
  8. Plate and enjoy!

Serves 4

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Turkey Veggie Meatballs
OT- shrinking meatballs.jpg
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Ingredients

1 lb of ground turkey
1 cup of chopped carrots
1 cup of chopped celery
1 cup of chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic
¼ cup of TJ’s Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto
1 Tbl. + 2 tsp. of coconut oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Sauté carrots, onions, celery and garlic with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil until the carrots are soft
  2. Next, place the sautéed mirepoix mixture into a food processor and mix well until pieces are very small
  3. Add in vegan pesto, ground turkey, salt & pepper to food processor and mix with carrots, celery & onion
  4. Heat large pan until very hot and add in 1 Tbl of coconut oil
  5. Scoop out meatball mixture with a large tablespoon, form into wet balls and place them into hot frying pan.
  6. Cook meatballs until browned (this will take about 3-4 mins)
  7. Plate and enjoy!

(Freezes and heats up well in the microwave)

Yields approximately 22 meatballs

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OT - Shrinking - molecules.jpg
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The Antioxidant Brigade

Now that we've touched on the benefits of eating real food and adding flavor to our vegetables, let's bring a little science into the discussion about why we want to add more plant based foods to our diet. Apart from weight loss, there is another good reason. Antioxidants. So what are antioxidants, exactly? And why do we want to add more of them in our diet?

Antioxidants are chemicals that fight a process in your cells called oxidation. Together they form a team that fights free radicals. Free radicals cause the oxidation process that damages your cells and the genetic material inside them. Your body makes free radicals as it processes food, sunlight, and toxins like smoke, pollution, and alcohol. Antioxidants either stop free radicals before they form or break them down so they’re harmless. Some of the benefits of consuming antioxidant foods, herbs, teas and supplements include:

  • Slower signs of aging, including of the skin, eyes, tissue, joints, heart and brain
  • Healthier, more youthful, glowing skin
  • Reduced cancer risk
  • Detoxification support
  • Longer life span
  • Protection against heart disease and stroke
  • Less risk for cognitive problems, such as dementia
  • Reduced risk for vision loss or disorders, like macular degeneration and cataracts

Courtesy of WebMD:All About Antioxidants

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Finding ways to add more plant based food to your diet isn't really as difficult as you might think. Eating salads is great, but it doesn't have to end there. Go ahead and experiment a little the next time you're selecting produce in the grocery store. Why not pick a vegetable you've never had before, or do something different with a vegetable you like? Explore the many spices, condiments, and herbs that are out there. But most of all, have fun with the process of playing around with different combinations.

Here are some suggestions for plant based food choices with lots of antioxidants in them:

  • Fruits: Berries (strawberries, blueberries, acai berries, goji berries), plums, pomegranates, grapes, pumpkin, mangoes, apricots, tomatoes, and apples
  • Veggies: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, eggplant, carrots, spinach, and red bell peppers
  • Roots and shoots: Green tea, parsley, garlic, leeks, and onions
  • Legumes: Black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans

And don't forget Chocolate. Chocolate, especially in the pure, raw and natural form known as cacao is the most concentrated source of antioxidants. So be sure to get your daily dose. Whether it's a tablespoon of pure cacao in your banana smoothie, or a square of dairy free dark chocolate, savor the flavors and the good feeling that comes with taking care of yourself!

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Enjoy Yourself!

If you are a fan of the Great British Bakeoff, you may remember a contestant named Valerie who liked to exercise while she baked. Me, I'm more of a dancer in the kitchen. With a varied Spotify channel that plays anything from Ella Fitzgerald to the Talking Heads, I found myself dancing in the kitchen yesterday to the Jackson 5. What fun! Just be careful with those Michael Jackson spins!

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Well, that about wraps things up for this week's edition.
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What’s on your mind today?
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Lookout's picture

@lotlizard
...about the meet up I might go. All the best!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

And good for one, too.
I tend to eat only one meal a day.
Depending on the calorie output
determines the portion size.

I can understand why the squash is playing the guitar, but what is the tomato bouncing on the lettuce bed with? Is that a pare?

Glad you can fit in your closet!
Wink

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Anja Geitz's picture

@QMS

I thought it was a really big potato. Ha!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

lotlizard's picture

Susanne Kraul, ending her job as Israel correspondent for the Green/alternative-Left newspaper Taz, looks back on thirty years of life in Israel.

https://taz.de/Abschied-der-taz-Israel-Korrespondentin/!5629112/

And:
The website of Matthias Bröckers, in my view one of the few people left in German journalism who haven’t sold out and made their accommodation with “the system,” features posts on, among other things:
Wikipedia and Claas Relotius (prizewinning reporter for Der Spiegel who was exposed as having faked many of his stories)
Jeffrey Epstein’s deep-state connections
Russiagate and impeachment

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Anja Geitz's picture

@lotlizard

It seems our media malpractice is contagious. Thanks for the links!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Raggedy Ann's picture

The recipes look yummy! Can't wait to try them.

A year ago, when I made the lifestyle change to eat only during an eight hour period a day, it was the best decision I had made for myself in decades. I, too, lost over thirty pounds and haven't felt better. I can wear anything with confidence, now, where I struggled before.

I realized it's how I ate in my 20's, before I really got sucked into eating all the time and never giving my body a chance to rest and really use the food I had given it. It's no wonder I couldn't keep my weight normal!

Enjoy your Tuesday, folks! Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Anja Geitz's picture

@Raggedy Ann

Amazing what the body can do when you provide it with tools to heal itself. Appreciate your encouragement.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Lookout's picture

I've been going to doctors conferences on youtube. Their message is the corporations are not allowing the dietary guide lines change because they are funded by coke, kraft foods, big pharma etc. A common comment is if you had a pill that does what a real food diet does they would be all over it. There's nothing to sell but a change in eating habits to correct all this expense of chronic disease caused by our diet...mainly sugar.

If anyone else wants to see the Scientific data check out sessions at these conferences
Public Health Collaboration in London
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO0WD6hn02_6b0_MNTKPgQ
I featured this excellent talk in my column Sunday. Anyone who doubts the negative effects of sugar needs to watch this clip from Robert Lustig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tijv_T4BpSc
(about an hour...fast forward through the biochem in the middle and be sure to watch the last 20 min)

The other series of conferences I enjoy are the Low Carb gatherings. Here's their channel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/lowcarbdownunder

I was watching a session from S. Africa yesterday and toward the end the speaker showed a graph of cholesterol levels and life span. Both women and men (but especially women) who have high cholesterol have longer lifespans. Talk about being misinformed. We've been sold a bill of goods that grains are good and fats are bad. The seed and vegetable oils that they recommended are the bad oils. Olive, Avocado, and coconut oils are our usual ones along with grassfed butter (which is a dairy item you might not prefer).

As a final thought all the processed things we buy like mayo and ketchup typically have added sugar and use soy and other bad oils. I make my own and it is so easy. I have a immersion blender (a blender on a stick). I make small batches using one egg (and I use the whole egg most just use the yolk) and about a half cup of olive or avocado oil. Blend the egg to almost a froth and slowly add the oil as you blend. I usually throw in some salt and a teaspoon of mustard as well.

Ketchup is even easier. If you don't have your own tomato sauce buy a small can of organic sauce (One brand we have here is Muir Glen) Make sure there is no added sugar! Then I mix in a little of Braggs Aminos, a bit of mustard, and a dash or two of a hot sauce. You can also add a little lemon juice. It is as good or better than commercial ketchup.

The two can be mixed together with a little lemon juice for a creamy thousand island type salad dressing

Congrats on you weight loss. I suspect you will continue to see the benefits of eating real food. We certainly have.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Anja Geitz's picture

@Lookout

We must share this information. I am reading a book right now titled, "It Starts its Food", detailing how our bodies react to the food we eat. The amount of mis-information out there about food is the number one reason why this country suffers from obesity and diseases that could very well be prevented with knowledge. It's heartbreaking.

Thank you for the links. Great stuff!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Much of what I am reading here is exactly the tips given at the Tijuana Biomedical Center, a cancer treatment clinic.
I have been including most of the doctor's list into my daily diet, but there was no discussion of intermittent fasting.
I do not have any 2 days alike. I work different hours, different locations, sometimes working through lunch, and occasionally dinner. I initially started cooking virtually all meals due to lots of awful local diners. I am beginning to have some reaction to preservatives, and these diners use lots of preservatives in their ingredients.
And a way to lose 20 lbs. in less than 4 months is to get bitten by a copperhead.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

WaterLily's picture

@on the cusp I'm assuming you know of this "weight-loss plan" through personal experience? Must have been frightening!

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@WaterLily and have personal experience.
The bastard could have killed me, but instead, just caused all kinds of goofy, painful, inconvenient problems.
I have told my friends that they will know the day all the swelling in my foot is gone. I intend to buy a pair of 4 inch heel crack whore pole dancing shoes and wear them in celebration!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Raggedy Ann's picture

@on the cusp
You can do intermittent fasting even with a crazy schedule. I vary my fast-times everyday. For example, I know I want to eat later on Friday with my hubby so I do 12-8. During the week, I vary from 10-6 and 11-7. This means that sometimes I'm fasting more than the 16 hours but I never do less. I give myself the weekend to be a little looser, but keeping the fasting to at least 12 hours. Since I can only have 50 calories, total, during my fasting times, I drink coffee or tea with stevia and a plant milk (almond only has 40 calories in a full cup and I only use about 1/2 cup in a day, but my preference is flax milk, which only has 25 calories in a cup unless I get the one with protein, which has 60 calories in a cup).

When I vacation, I keep it as close as possible, trying to maintain at least the 12 hour fast, but when I return home, I do a 24 hour fast (noon to noon works best for me) and it seems to reset everything and I get right back on track.

I can't believe the difference in how I feel and look over the last 13 months. This is a lifestyle change and not a diet. It was trial and error for awhile, but it's normal, now.

Good luck and let me now if I can help! Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

@Raggedy Ann @Raggedy Ann Sometimes I eat pure junk because I will be in public, do not want my stomach to growl. I have a blueberry roll for breakfast on a dead run to get to court on time. I had to force myself to finish it. At least it had blueberries in it. I had a slew of emergencies, worked through lunch, ate a palm full of walnuts, and will not eat dinner until just before I head to bed. It will be a beef and vegetable soup I made from scratch, using fresh everything, and it will be a small portion. It was a sedentary day today. Tomorrow will be a jury trial, lots of activity, lots of driving, and I am sorry to report, I will likely eat an almand granola bar for lunch. I can carry it in my purse, and it keeps my stomach from growling. Breakfast in the morning will likely be a few bites of a grilled steak. I will not be worried about a tasty meal. The worry will be energy, and again, avoiding the growling empty stomach that can distract a jury. They need to focus on the evidence, not the weird noises.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

lotlizard's picture

@on the cusp  

avoiding the growling empty stomach that can distract a jury

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@lotlizard But he was perfect.
Juries pick up on all kinds of details, since oftentimes they are bored to tears.
My goal today is to put men on the jury. They should be more sensitive and righteous about a trucker having his truck's paint job goofed up beyond belief by the auto repair shop.
We shall see.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Raggedy Ann's picture

@on the cusp
Put one in a teeny container in your purse. Little salt packet. You're good. Check your teeth before you smile at the judge or the jury.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

@Raggedy Ann Never could. Dammit!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Raggedy Ann's picture

@on the cusp
Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Anja Geitz's picture

@on the cusp

Good to hear that a cancer treatment center is advocating healthy eating. Though little surprise it would be located outside our own country.

Last time I was in Tijuana I saw a Jai Alai game and drank the best tequila in my life.

You lead an interesting life, my friend. Glad you recovered from the snake bite, but I think I'll abstain from that weight loss tip.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

@Anja Geitz in his struggle with squamous cell carcinoma. But his kidneys got infected, and when he was hospitalized, I could not maintain the regimen because the hospital blocked me. He made the decision to just quit all treatment, come home to die.
And he did a week later.
I can at least say the amount of bad food I eat is only on occasion, and in small amounts, and only when I have no other options.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp had a copperhead on my front walk late summer - then in late Sept. had a baby copperhead near the same place - sorry abt your bite - I live in SE Illinois and am getting wigged-out. Anybody there from my general area noticing more snakes?

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Thanks Anja for all your wonderful recipes. Having a Trader Joe's nearby make it easy to follow.

Salad has always been my go to meal and love to try out a new veggie to add to the mix as well as fruits.

Always look forward to Tuesday OT to see what is brought to the table. Good day to everyone.

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Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.

This ain't no dress rehearsal!

Anja Geitz's picture

@jakkalbessie

For my next food post, I'll be using an umami seasoning on parsnips, that when roasted are simply amazing.

If you like mushrooms, check out their truffle sauce. It's a holiday items so it won't be here long, but I can already imagine it on spiralized zucchini with the mushroom medley. Yum!

Good to see you Jakkalbessie Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

lotlizard's picture

@Anja Geitz  
… and then add lots of vegetables to the official Beltane instructions (which only call for ground meat, canned beans, and tomato puree) — that’s my favorite chili recipe.

Each time I visit Philly I bring some TJ taco seasoning back with me. The Beltane Biofix line of spice mixes are made by a German outfit and sold by natural food stores in Germany and the Netherlands.

https://www.beltane.de/produkte/

In the context of farming and natural food, the designation “organic” in English corresponds to “bio/Bio” in German, as I’m sure you know.

Actually, the ratio I like is two Beltane Biofix — doubling ingredient amounts accordingly, of course — to, at most, one-half of a TJ taco seasoning packet. Because, be warned, the peppery chili-ness of the latter is really quite hot.

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WaterLily's picture

These recipes look delicious. Can't wait to try the cruciferous crunch!

I always feel much better when eating whole, real, food. Sometimes it's easier said than done, but after doing one Whole30 last year, I became much more aware of the junk I was putting into my body. I still do it -- chips are my Achilles' heel -- but I'm happy to have kicked my added sugar habit save for when I'm in a restaurant and don't want to grill the server about what's in the salad dressing (I'm already "high maintenance" due to celiac, lol).

Whole30 also clued me in to what Lookout mentioned: how many off-the-shelf products contain soy and sugar. I started making my own mayonnaise as well (hooray for the immersion blender)! Now I'm inspired to try ketchup.

In fact, I'm inspired to try tightening up my eating again as a whole. I've got some extra pounds hanging around and the chips aren't helping!

Thanks for the post and the ideas!

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Anja Geitz's picture

@WaterLily

It always surprises me how many people don't read the ingredients. Or how ill informed the general public is about their own health. I had a gentlemen come in the other day looking for recommendations to help his high blood pressure in the deli section for crying out loud. Pointing to the "low sodium" turkey slices he wanted to know if he could eat that. What I wanted to say, or rather scream, is STAY COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE DELI SECTION!!!

Instead I suggested he make himself an avocado and tomato sandwich instead. He expressed doubt that a meal containing only vegetables would sustain him. When I suggested putting chopped eggs on the sandwich and seasoning it with some herbs, he was completely out of his comfort zone.

I see this a lot. People with medical problems nibbling at the edges of what they are used to buying. Be it low salt deli meats, or low salt potato chips. What they need is a food revolution but they are just not in that mind set. Sadly, statistically speaking, I'm sure at least half of those people will suffer some health event directly related to their diet.

Frankly, it should be a wake up call for us all. So glad I've inspired you Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

WaterLily's picture

@Anja Geitz Like you, though, I've witnessed far too many people ignore the evidence and call to change completely.

Someone in my extended family was diagnosed with Stage 3 renal failure a few years ago and hasn't even taken the step of meeting with a nutritionist or dietician. Instead, they continue to ingest large quantities of diet soda, and fast- and pre-packaged "food." Their attitude seems to be, "I'll deal with dialysis when it happens" as opposed to, "I'll do anything I can to reverse this situation and avoid dialysis."

I agree that it's heartbreaking and I wish I knew how to succeed in encouraging a behavioral shift. Sigh.

(BTW, I'd eat that tomato-avocado-egg sandwich any day ... delish! Although, I've even given up GF bread since those are generally filled with crap, too).

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Anja Geitz's picture

@WaterLily

I suppose we all have those areas in life where we feel incapable of tackling. Biding time until dialysis might be more an indication of someone completely overwhelmed and feeling absolutely powerless over their condition. OTOH, if someone came up to me and told me I had a choice between living and dying and these are the requirements for living, I'd do it. No question. But some people are in effect given that choice with food, and they don't. It mystifies me.

I am so sorry to hear about your relative. It must very difficult for the people close to them.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

UW–Madison will increase the minimum wage for the university’s hourly employees to $15 per hour, effective in spring 2020. The increase will enable the university to compete more effectively for workers and strengthen its commitment to paying a fair wage to all employees.

Progress!

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The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

Anja Geitz's picture

@UntimelyRippd

Trader Joes in California raised their starting rate to $15 per hour a few years ago to get ahead of the minimum wage debate. They also perform six month reviews, so anyone who is diligent in their work can get their pay rate increased much quicker than what other retailers are offering. It may be one of the many reasons Trader Joes enjoys a relatively low turn over as an employer.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

@Anja Geitz
"student employees" and "temporary employees".

Mostly, it will affect custodial and food-service folks.

The press release admits that among other things, it's a matter of attracting workers in tight market -- they've got something like 50 unfilled vacancies in the residence halls. Yet, as with everywhere else, the Rentier class in Madison has been very, very reluctant to allow the "hot economy" to drive wage increases. Even though businesses everywhere are struggling to find workers, many retail and fast-food jobs are only paying a buck or two above minimum wage. They'd rather do without the workers (and suffer the consequences -- such as, customers walking out of a sandwich shop without ordering, because the line is taking too long) than bump wages enough to make it worth someone's while to come in for a 3-hour shift.

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The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

enhydra lutris's picture

reminders to try to eat well (constant reminders help keep one from slipping, I find). Not my week to cook here, and the garden isn't overly productive now, so that shunts me into breakfast and lunch concoctions. I wind up doing things like homemade single serving of polenta with a bit of leftover homemade black bean chili. Now you've got me thinking about how to work more dark chocolate into the mix. However, I try to limit my eating to a 10 hour window and we usually have dinner around six, so all I can do is sit here and plot and scheme for a while. (Lessee, leftover cooked black beans + grated chocolate + pepper flakes or minced jalapeno + stock poured over grilled sweet potato rounds??)

Have a good one.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Anja Geitz's picture

@enhydra lutris

How you worked the chocolate into your food choices!

Have a great day, EL Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Be careful. I lost 20 pounds quickly. Unitl I passed out from insulin shock.
A candy bar, Herhey's Special Dark, restored me. I felt euphoric while munching that candy bar.
Unfortunately, the weight came back quickly.
It is interesting how eating meat and fat didn't stop me from losing weight. For breakfast I ate fried eggs. No toast, no jelly. Just eggs plus pork sauage patties as available. For lunch (plant cafeteria), hamburgers/cheeseburgers with/without grilled onions but no potatoes and no bun.NO KETCHUP (contains sugar or worse). Drank coffee with a dash of milk. Tea with nothing added. Machine coffee black (don't know what is in their "creamer"). Dinner at home was whatever my wife made without potatoes or pasta, just meat and vegetables.

Considering trying again, but with measured amounts of sugar, just enough to avoid fainting. Might be better to ease in instead of cold turkey?

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

Raggedy Ann's picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness
might be intermittent fasting. You might need to give your body 16 full hours of fasting. It's what worked for me, yet I know we are all different. Just offering some encouragement! Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

@Raggedy Ann
We have a continual battle over the thermostat.
If it is 78 or 79, I feel no hunger. My wife prefers 68-70 which makes me ravenous. It's been that way all my life. as a kid without A/C I ate very little in summer. Only what my Mom could force into me. Winter I ate a lot but shivered all the time. I was a skinny kid.
I still feel no hunger in summer unless the A/C is too strong which it mostly is.

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

studentofearth's picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness Each of us have different biological capabilities, various exposure and build up of toxins, have different medical conditions and may be taking medication that effect many aspects of our bodies functions. Unique combination of body sugar stores, effectiveness of metabolizing proteins and fats to body sugar (glucose), glucose requirements for various physical body activities, insulin production and degree of insulin responsiveness could have contributed to your sudden .

If you are on any medication that effects blood sugars changes to diet should be coordinated with medication, possible dose changes and monitoring blood sugar values, at minimum watching for physical signs & symptoms of blood sugar changes. Many diabetic medications force the blood sugar lower regardless if it is at a low, normal or high level.

Different carbohydrates (sugar, rice, wheat...) alter our glucose levels in the body at different rates. Response speed can also be altered by other factors in our meal. Such as fats can slow the glucose build up in the body. For example a plain cheese pizza will cause a slower blood sugar response than pizza with marinara sauce only.

It gets complicated, but by listening to our body and going slowly we can often move through obstacles without knowing all the details of why. Plus there are many sources for information and people to ask questions.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

@studentofearth @studentofearth
me is, "Let's have a seat and crack open a brewski ..."

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The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

Anja Geitz's picture

@UntimelyRippd

In my case it used to be ice cream. Gosh, did I love a creamy bowl of that stuff. A little chocolate syrup, maybe a few cookies to go along.

In the end though, I like fitting into my Calvin Klein jeans better right now. Ha!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

lotlizard's picture

@Anja Geitz  
When I’m in Philly the 2121 Market Street store is just blocks away on foot — pre-diabetic inklings versus savoring those memories of “soda fountain” kiddie hedonism from childhood — hard to resist the urge to have an ice cream float every day. There oughta be a law!

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Anja Geitz's picture

@lotlizard

Last weekend we were featuring our New England Cranberry Pie, served warm with vanilla ICE CREAM.

I had to smell it wafting through the entire store and watch people walk by me eating it ALL DAY.

Yeah, there outta be law alright...

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

studentofearth's picture

@UntimelyRippd by good company. Smile

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

@studentofearth

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

lotlizard's picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness  
to the same tunes as the words “roses and lollipops” (1962) or even “incense and peppermints” (1967).

http://infogalactic.com/info/Lollipops_and_Roses_%28song%29

http://infogalactic.com/info/Incense_and_Peppermints_%28song%29

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Anja Geitz's picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness

Berries, mangos, and apples. Natural sugars. Evens out the insulin levels.

The berries and mangos I put into smoothies using real coconut milk and sweeten it a little with stevia. Delicious! The apples I slice up and sprinkle a little of Trader Joe's Chili Lime seasoning over them. Adds a flavorful contrast to the sweet apples.

Good luck voice! Glad you could stop by today Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

@Anja Geitz
I did avoid fruit that time. I love fruit and grow my own as you may know.

Yes, fresh fruit might moderate the blood insulin level. I like dried fruit also.

I haven't had beets in ages because my wife hates them like most people. I love them.
The local supermarket offers fruit/vegetable drinks at an outlandish price. They make a berry/apple/beet/turmeric drink that is to die for. But at $4.99 a glass it's a bit steep. Several years ago I bought a juicer at Christmas but have never used it. A friend recommended beet/carrot/apple/turmeric/collards juiced together. I like cooked collards, not sure about raw. I also like cooked spinach but hate raw.

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

@Anja Geitz @Anja Geitz
Fresh cream on cereal. Skim milk went to the hog trough. Pigs will eat anything.

Whoops!
Replied to wrong post!

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

@The Voice In the Wilderness
"I hate lying. There's only one think I hate more than lying, and that's skim milk. Which is water, lying about being milk."

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The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

@The Voice In the Wilderness The book titled Enter The Zone was written in the 1990's.
If you can wade through some moderately scientific information it can educate you.
I learned a lot about what food does in and to my body reading this book.
I do not endorse modern marketing of "The Zone Diet".
Dr. Barry Sears was not a business person and lost control of the marketing way back then.

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Creosote.'s picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness
What helped me get rid of old weight was (and is) getting my hemoglobin C1a tested every three months or so. I wanted it to fall into what Ruhl's Blood Sugar 101 book calls the 5 percent club, in the hopes that enough beta cells survived in my pancreas so I wouldn't have to take meds, or could maybe have a few more blueberries or Rainier cherries. Seems to have worked. Had to buy some new clothes though.
It was fortunate that I was so furious at being told I was at risk, and had any possibility of having to take meds, that totally changing the way I eat was easy. No more "healthy" whole grains and legumes, no white stuff (rice, pasta, potatoes, bread).
It does help to only be cooking for myself.

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@Creosote.
Last batch was so sour that they could pass for lemons.
Interestingly my daughter and one of her sons happily eat lemons as if they were oranges. Some gene that's latent in me I guess. My grandmother's family was from Sicily which is famous for lemons (and revenge but everybody knows that).

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

lotlizard's picture

The Economist magazine recaps the globalist, “Washington consensus” case for mass migration, from 2017.

https://www.economist.com/the-world-if/2017/07/13/a-world-of-free-moveme...

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mhagle's picture

Great to absorb all of this good information.

Too much happening here to do all of these great things right now. Two hours of math problems every morning among other things. Our delightful extra child's mom is homeless again so with our neighbors we are going to rush tomorrow to help quickly refurbish an abandoned trailer she and three (soon to be four) kids can live in for free. She is working and going to school. Yikes!

And I can never give up dairy. I have a relationship with cows from the dairy farm youth. Although, we drank raw milk and if my dad had to give a cow antibiotics he discarded the milk for a period of time. Mom made cheese and butter. And we ate cream on homemade bread. OMG.

And whole grains. How do you get enough fiber without whole grains?

No little waist though. My husband rubs my tummy and makes a wish. LOL

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

@mhagle

You're good to glow!

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