You are hereMonthly archive / May, 2008
May, 2008
Curious Food Consumption Statistics
I see in the USDA food consumption statistics that in the 1980s two trends developed. One was the introduction of high fructose corn syrup. The other is a marked increase in consumption of high sugar fruits compared to low sugar fruits. Bananas, grapes, and pineapple are up while apples and oranges are down. Is there a connection? I wonder if hfcs dulls the perception of sweetness in some way so that consumers only perceive adequate sweetness in the higher sugar fruits. Interesting.
Joan
The Seasons
I am enjoying the first new fruit of the spring. Sunday, I saw a truck full of canteloupe by the side of the road. It was great to taste a melon that had never been refrigerated. One of the gifts of recovery is that we are reminded of the gift of seasons - a change of pace - because we’re happily dependent on seasonal foods to a much greater degree that when we were eating highly refined foods. So many blessings of the food plan.
Joan
Adrenalin Addiction
I am wondering if we might have used our own adrenalin to counter the grogginess caused by refined foods. So many of us have the habit of leaving things to the last minute and then rushing around to make a deadline. Do we structure tasks this way because we want the adrenalin high? I wonder what the withdrawal from self-induced andrenalin addiction might be? I suppose the abstinence would be to carefully plan ahead and get things done the day before. I know for myself, I don’t like the adrenalin rush anymore. I make myself print out my workshop handouts the day before.
The Fate of Our Skeletons
When we’re in the disease of refined food addictions, our skeletons take on stress. They carry the extra weight and if we’re super obese, we actually walk with out legs apart which puts stress on the joints. I’m thinking there may be other aspects to skeletal stress. I think we might hunch over because of the depression and fatigue. For those of us who got addicted to the internet because we were too tired to do anything else, we might have leaned into the computer with rounded back and shoulder, but head up.
Unforgettable wallet
A friend who eliminated sugars and flours from her diet two years ago told me she hides her wallet every night. Before the food plan, often she couldn’t find it in the morning. Now she remembers every time. So many blessings of the food plan.
Joan
Unexpected benefit of no
Last night, the Nutrition Ministry at St. Stephen Presbyterian discussed instances of when we said no to the offer of a refined food. Two of us had the same story. When we said no thanks consistently over time, our friends started making abstinent food for us! This is great because we can confidently go their homes, participate in the festivities, and stay healthy. This is the best of all worlds! If we had said yes, we would have been in relapse and we would still be faced with either being in relapse or starting to say no. So, there are advantages to saying no right off the bat.
The miracle of cheap food
In a wonderful inversion, the cheapest food on the planet could be the healthiest. You can find this out for yourself. The cheapest food is beans. I just bought 3 lbs of dried black beans for $2.07. I think that’s about 15 cents per serving. If you’re low on cash, stock up on dried beans. If you want to see if beans work better than animal products, taper off animal products by gradually substituting beans. For example, in a grilled chicken salad, use 2 oz chicken and 1/2 cup garbanzo beans instead of 4 oz chicken. You can use another
Saving money
The food plan saves alots of money. The most obvious is the reduction in restaurant bills from not buying desserts and drinks. These items can double the total bill. Savings also come from not buying expensive processed foods. We also save because we are no longer volume eating. There are other more subtle savings from reductions in expenses related to medical care. Fewer over the counter medications, office visits, and prescriptions are typical experineces when removing refined foods from the diet.
Joan
Destressing in the car
The car is a natural relapse zone. We’re stressed and the fast food drive-thrus are everywhere. We’re conditioned to relieving car-based stress with fast food drive-thrus but fortunately, there’s another way to relieve stress. When you’re at a stop, grasp the steering wheel and pull out towards the doors. Do a slow count of ten while breathing deeply. Then push towards the steering column for another count of ten, pull towards you for ten, and then push away for ten. You will feel your shoulders and arms relax. The thoughts of a fast food fix will fade.
The chocolate divorce
I have a neighbor who’s getting a divorce. She’s a chocoholic. I have another dear friend who is distressed and perplexed about his marriage. He can’t do anything right. His wife is a chocoholic. On a vacation years ago, I impulsively took a small chocolate from the cashier’s stand at the grocery store. I nearly took my husband’s head off the next day. My heart goes out to the chocoholics locked in prisons of criticism, and of course the people around them.
Joan