Changing one's diet for health

[marianna]

My diet does NOT typically include fruits. I can go weeks without touching a banana, pear, apple, you name it). I rarely eat veggies. I want to increase my energy level and wonder if eating more fruits and vegetables can do the trick? I really don't want to rely on energy drinks for when I exercise. I would much rather stick to something that is very healthy and more affordable. :)

What fruits out there and veggies do you guys like and do you know has good benefits?

Thanks for the info!

[minerva]

a banana in the morning to kick start the metabolism
or cereal with chopped banana topped with yoghurt
apples for snacks
a kilo of veg a day..when roasted, done in soup (i use a veg mix...whatever's in season and add half a bowlful of barley...barley is low in g.a and very filling)
salad for work (mixed leaves with a handful of barley, a chopped apricot/orange and a teaspoon of olive oil and lemon...together with about 4 walnuts and grapes tossed in...it's lovely i eat it almost daily)
nuts..almonds are great for the skin. about 10 almonds a day...and they stave off hunger for a bit

if you keep a small box of fruit in the fridge, you can go to it every now and then and nibble from it. if you don't manage to eat it, blend it and add some lemonade or yoghurt to it.

when i make a pasta, i finely chop (with the food processor) two zucchinis, a punnet of mushrooms, two carrots, a stick of celery and throw it in to fry in two table spoons of olive oil, before i add my beef and tomatoes. sometimes i put in a couple of bell peppers. all the veg adds to the bulk and you end up putting less carbs (pasta) on the plate.

i buy my salad readily chopped in bags...there are about five different leaves in it, and i include a handful of it and some cherry tomatoes in my kids' and husband's sandwiches. it works out cheaper to buy a bag of mixed leaves (i choose the bags that have no additives) than me buying different heads of lettuce and leaves and chopping it all up.

[marianna]

Thanks Mini all of that sounds wonderful and I could fit it into my routine...right now I am fixing asparagus... :yuk: I hope it tastes ok :)

[minerva]

ah yummy asparagus. just steam it lightly, never over cook it... wrap some parma ham around it and drizzle some olive oil and balsamic...
ENJOY!!

[marianna]

Rrrrrrrr ham and olive oil..................(wait a minute let me go wipe my mouth).

[minerva]

here you go marianna :D

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/2565460806_e33a491421.jpg

[marianna]

Oh LORD now those look sinful. Recipe???????????

Mama mia papi chulo those look goooooooodddddd!!!!!!!!!!!

[minerva]

nothing special marianna....it's dead simple. the parma ham has so much flavour that you don't need anything much to add to it.

here goes :D

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/513219

30 grams of butter is a tablespoonful...i'd halve that and use a tablespoon of olive oil instead.

[marianna]

I never knew veggies could look so scrumptious.....thanks! :D :)

[minerva]

shall i post more of my fav veggie dishes?

this is not so good for health..but man...it's one of my fav's

melanzane (eggplant) a la parmiggiana (parmesan)
a traditional roman dish

http://personal.inet.fi/clan/sbackman/jarinpaivat/melaen.htm

[minerva]

and here's a typical mediterranean dish. originally french, but each med country has its own version.
we call it caponata.
ratatouille in french.

http://www.beyond.fr/food/ratatouille.html

[Jihad4Truth]

here you go marianna :D

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/2565460806_e33a491421.jpg

Mmm.....very nice....

[marianna]

Thanks Mini for these recipes. I will print them off and try to experiment with them....maybe if I can make veggies taste a little more palatable I won't mind eating them so much. :)

[MorphaKnight]

I've went years without fruits. Sad I know and I'd like to get into it but I just never do. However thankfully in my egyptian diet there just ALWAYS has to be a portion of carbs, a portion of vegetables and protein.

what got me into vegetables the most were sauteed vegetables like zucchini, carrots and broccoli (ESPECIALLY broccoli which i dearly love!) which I usually eat whenever I go out in a restaurant.

A simple salad that I usually have would be your tomatos, cucumbers, lettuce, onions (or spring onions), and those green leaves I don't know what their name is in english.. (it has a weird name but all i know they're in the rocca salad.. I thought their name is rocca but i think its something else) add a little salt and pepper, and drench it with olive oil and thats it.

Another way of eating some vegetables such as tomatos and cucumbers is eating them seperately and adding salt, pepper and LOTS of cumin! most vegetables tastes good with cumin.

[minerva]

try roasting veg with garlic, olive oil. roastable veg like eggplant, zucchini, onions, peppers, tomatoes.
make a portion of couscous and tuck in.

[Jihad4Truth]

^^I have found that a little butter, garlic, salt and pepper makes most vegetables taste great. Maybe some lemon or olive oil.

I hear the green veggies are the most nutrient. I like Spinach, brocolli, Asparagus, Zucchini and Squash. I prefer them all steamed. Sauteed Spinach is good. Zuchinni and Asparagus are also good grilled.

[minerva]

^^I have found that a little butter, garlic, salt and pepper makes most vegetables taste great. Maybe some lemon or olive oil.

I hear the green veggies are the most nutrient. I like Spinach, brocolli, Asparagus, Zucchini and Squash. I prefer them all steamed. Sauteed Spinach is good. Zuchinni and Asparagus are also good grilled.
green veg are great for roughage, iron and folic acid ( methinks) but it's important to have something from every colour, since each colour means a different vitamin/mineral.

[Shinoda LP]

Sounds like my ramen noodles diet isn't really a healthy diet plan. :(

I do get my fair share of fruits and veggies, so not too bad. Don't drink sodas and no caffeine either. Just need to stick to working out regularly and eating healthy.

[Jihad4Truth]

I like this topic. Me want to eat better.

Sweet potatoes, or yams, are supposed to be better than regular potatoes.

As for fruits, I like pretty much all of them. I try to start everyday off with a banana. Strawberries, grapes and Pineapples are great.

I use to do Jamba Juice, (a smoothie shop), a lot but if I drink one of those instead of a meal, I will be insanely hungry like a rabid dog a few hours later. It's actually a good way to prime my appetite before a huge dinner.


Marianna, do you ever go to Whole Foods? I am becoming more and more a fan of fresh, organic non processed food. I go there for lunch on a reg basis. Once I started to make the switch then I started to notice the difference.

Also drinking plenty water is very beneficial.

[Jihad4Truth]

green veg are great for roughage, iron and folic acid ( methinks) but it's important to have something from every colour, since each colour means a different vitamin/mineral.

Can you suggest some from different colors. Besides like peppers and squash, I can't think of too many non green veggies.

I consider carrots, corn, rice, pototaoes to be starches, while technically they are veggies, starches are also more fattening.

[minerva]

here's from the fao website....

RED
Beetroot
Cherries
Guava
Red and pink grapefruits
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Watermelon


ORANGE/YELLOW
Apricots
Carrots
Mangoes
Melon
Oranges
Papaya
Pineapple
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
Yellow maize


GREEN
Amaranth
Avocado
Bok choy
Broccoli
Cucumber
Kiwi fruit
Peas
Spinach


BLUE/PURPLE
Blueberries
Dates
Eggplant
Grapes
Passion fruit
Plums
Prunes
Raisins


Last but not least....WHITE
They may be lacking in colour, but vegetables such as garlic, onions, leeks and chives are rich sources of nutrients as well

[marianna]

We have a Whole Foods here but right now am on a strict budget and that place can be pricey.

Reading this actually made my stomach growl. Right now I have some french fries baking..yesssssss..........I promise to eat good this weekend. Just those fries were calling my name and I listened.

[minerva]

to make healthier fries.

scrub potato. cut into wedges. blanche for 5 mins in boiling salted water .(blanche = quick boil)
put in a bowl.
dress with 3 tbs olive oil, ground rock salt and pepper. you can chop some chives, or put rosemary on.....
shake the potatoes about in the bowl...make sure they flake a bit...so shake them a bit harshly lol.
pop on a baking tray for about 20-40 mins in a hot oven. they'll crisp up.

alternative taste : add some curry to the mix. or cayenne pepper.

[MorphaKnight]

I prefer a large baked potato with a small dash of butter. You could add sourcream if ya want but even that is not necessary.

[Jihad4Truth]

We have a Whole Foods here but right now am on a strict budget and that place can be pricey.

Yeah, it is kind of pricey. I don't usually buy groceries though. I just eat lunch there and it usually costs me about $6 - 7 for some soup and a half sandwich or slice of pizza. That's pretty much average for going out for lunch.

Also there are lots of fit and attractive women, and men too, as well as alternative types who shop there, so it's cool for the peep watching.



Reading this actually made my stomach growl. Right now I have some french fries baking..yesssssss..........I promise to eat good this weekend. Just those fries were calling my name and I listened.

Marianna!!!! tsk tsk tsk....

Mmm.....french fries....... I have to admit, I got some chili cheese fries the other night. :hyper:

[Jihad4Truth]

here's from the fao website....

RED
Beetroot
Cherries
Guava
Red and pink grapefruits
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Watermelon


ORANGE/YELLOW
Apricots
Carrots
Mangoes
Melon
Oranges
Papaya
Pineapple
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
Yellow maize


GREEN
Amaranth
Avocado
Bok choy
Broccoli
Cucumber
Kiwi fruit
Peas
Spinach


BLUE/PURPLE
Blueberries
Dates
Eggplant
Grapes
Passion fruit
Plums
Prunes
Raisins


Last but not least....WHITE
They may be lacking in colour, but vegetables such as garlic, onions, leeks and chives are rich sources of nutrients as well

Thanks Mini,

Mmmm avocado. Me like avocado. Mmm.....

I hear blue berries are really good, but they always so pricey round here.

I have no idea what Amaranth is. Will have to check it out.

[minerva]

apparently amaranth is a grain. i'll go look for it tomorrow at my health food shop. luckily i've got one really close by.

[marianna]

Well, my six month goal (especially since I am returning to South Beach next August) is to eat well and to get those 4 pack abs....knock 'em dead! :)

[Superbia]

I wasn't really a fan of fruits either, not until I started making my own blends. Experiment various type of fruits in the blender, & trust me.. that way you'll have healthy fruit a least once or twice a day. Since then, a day doesn't pass without me having my mix. I recommend avocado, banana and strawberry - tastes like heaven :love:

[marianna]

I will be off to the farmer's market this weekend. They tend to have a wider variety of fruits and veggies than what I normally see.

This (http://www.sappingtonfarmersmkt.com/) is the one I go to. Just a couple miles from my home.

[Markov]

After reading this thread, I can officially name Minnie as our Sabla Nutrition

[fazal_dr]

How To Have More Energy

These days it seems like most people are more zombie than human… barely awake and seeming eerily similar to the undead until they have their morning cup of coffee.

Get Enough Sleep
Some people simply require more sleep than others so if you think that just because your coworkers can get by on 5 or 6 hrs of sleep, that doesn’t mean you can. You may require 8 or even 9 hours of sleep a night.

It might also be a case of simply not getting good, restful sleep. If you have problems with falling asleep or staying asleep, you might be battling insomnia. As a former insomniac myself, I can tell you it’s no fun.

Eating Better

The food you eat really does make a difference in your energy levels. Just about everyone feels tired after eating thanksgiving dinner. And it’s not because of the turkey but because of all the food you just stuffed yourself with. Eating big meals saps your energy.

Focus on eating smaller meals more often.

Also, focus on eating more fruits and veggies and freshly prepared meals. It’ll make a big difference if everything you typically eat comes out of a can or the microwave. Focus on eating healthier and you will see your energy levels improve.

Best Energy Drinks

While you probably see commercials for energy drinks like Red Bull all the time, I don’t actually recommend those energy drinks. They’re full of sugar and caffeine and they’re certainly not good for you

Exercise

The last way to improve your energy levels is by exercise. I know that it sounds counter intuitive, but a quick workout is a great way to give yourself a quick boost of energy. No time to get to the gym? Just run in place for 2-3 minutes. Whether you’re at home, the office, or just about anywhere, you can use this trick to get more energy.

dr fazal.