Up until a few years ago I was never much of a breakfast person. I’m still not crazy about jumping out of bed and eating. That is why if I’m working I usually opt for a healthy shake of some kind.
On the days I am not working so early or on my days off, I have become a big fan of cereal. Especially since my doctor wants me to get 35 grams of fiber a day in my diet. I like to make my own blend. I start with Fiber One and Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. Then I usually add one of the Post Great Grains. I like the one with pecans and then there is one with cranberries. Lately the local City Market has had some of Kashi and other organic cereals on sale. I usually look for ones with nuts, flax seed or pumpkin seed and dried fruit except for raisins. I am mentally allergic to raisins. Ha,ha! I read labels and you should to. Try making a mix your own favorite cereals, have fun with it. Just stay away from anything that has high fructose corn syrup in it. Also a few years ago I started using soy milk when possible. It is healthier then whole cows milk. Recently I’ve discovered Almond Milk it has more of the good stuff that soy milk has and none of the bad stuff cows milk has. It is cheaper then soy milk and it is much better tasting. Also add fresh fruit, I love bananas and strawberries in season. Try this and start your day off with fuel for your body that will last all day.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
I'm not Buddha Yet
Not yet having become Buddha, this bag of bones continues on its journey. Not just one organism but a whole community of living organisms working and living, doing their jobs. Atoms,cells, bacteria, germs, one celled creatures of all kinds. When I carry on to another form and this body turns back to dust, the water that composes most of it will nourish a thirsty traveler one day or perhaps nourish a tree or flower. The atoms, bacteria and germs will live on to become another form, perhaps another man, a tree, flower or maybe even a cloud. Is this not a miracle? Is this not reincarnation?
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Diet, allergies and germs! OH MY!
As a chef, nutritionist and concerned human being I wonder what’s going on with our bodies. There is no scientific data, that I know of ,but I’ve been in the food business for more then 20yrs and its alarming to me at how food allergies are becoming more and more prevalent in our society.
As a child in my grandfather’s restaurant I don’t remember him having to be concerned about anyone having allergies, even when I first started cooking, there were people on diets for specific reasons but not all these food allergies I’m seeing today. Its just been in the past 10years that it has become so prevalent. Now in the past three years this gluten thing has gone crazy. Is it really an allergen or just the latest health / food craze?
I think there could be one of two reasons or maybe a combination of reasons.
First, I think we are way to scared of germs and we don’t spend enough time outside. When we were kids during the summer we were outside from morning until night. As babies we rolled around in the dirt and when the parents turned their heads we ate dirt or worse. Now everyone try’s to keep everything so sterile and the kids spend a lot of their day in front of a video game or a computer they don’t build up the natural immunities they get from being in nature. Before milk was fortified with vitamin D, people in some of the northern states would get rickets because they were not outside enough to get enough vitamin D from the sun. I say it’s the same way with allergies, we have disconnected our selves from nature and much to our demise we are becoming less and less a part of nature.
Another thing that might be the reason or a part of the reason is our diet. Prior to the mid sixties everyone ate home cooked, mostly from scratch, mostly locally grown food. Even the food in my grandfathers kitchen was all bought locally and cooked from scratch with mostly fresh ingredients. With the proliferation of fast foods, prepacked and frozen foods and our foods coming form all around the world we are eating foods that are out of season. We are eating foods that don’t have the local pollen, the local dirt, the local, what I think the ancient Chinese would call Chi. I think our bodies are becoming confused by the types of food and the combination's of food we are consuming, sending our digestive systems into turmoil.
Of course it could be that our science has just caught up and found out at what's causing some illness are allergies. But that would be too easy!!!! It has to be the devil somewhere! ha,ha!
Once again I implore you to support your local farmer’s market and food co-op. Eat fresh, in- season foods. AND
“Forget the Box Just get outside!”
As a child in my grandfather’s restaurant I don’t remember him having to be concerned about anyone having allergies, even when I first started cooking, there were people on diets for specific reasons but not all these food allergies I’m seeing today. Its just been in the past 10years that it has become so prevalent. Now in the past three years this gluten thing has gone crazy. Is it really an allergen or just the latest health / food craze?
I think there could be one of two reasons or maybe a combination of reasons.
First, I think we are way to scared of germs and we don’t spend enough time outside. When we were kids during the summer we were outside from morning until night. As babies we rolled around in the dirt and when the parents turned their heads we ate dirt or worse. Now everyone try’s to keep everything so sterile and the kids spend a lot of their day in front of a video game or a computer they don’t build up the natural immunities they get from being in nature. Before milk was fortified with vitamin D, people in some of the northern states would get rickets because they were not outside enough to get enough vitamin D from the sun. I say it’s the same way with allergies, we have disconnected our selves from nature and much to our demise we are becoming less and less a part of nature.
Another thing that might be the reason or a part of the reason is our diet. Prior to the mid sixties everyone ate home cooked, mostly from scratch, mostly locally grown food. Even the food in my grandfathers kitchen was all bought locally and cooked from scratch with mostly fresh ingredients. With the proliferation of fast foods, prepacked and frozen foods and our foods coming form all around the world we are eating foods that are out of season. We are eating foods that don’t have the local pollen, the local dirt, the local, what I think the ancient Chinese would call Chi. I think our bodies are becoming confused by the types of food and the combination's of food we are consuming, sending our digestive systems into turmoil.
Of course it could be that our science has just caught up and found out at what's causing some illness are allergies. But that would be too easy!!!! It has to be the devil somewhere! ha,ha!
Once again I implore you to support your local farmer’s market and food co-op. Eat fresh, in- season foods. AND
“Forget the Box Just get outside!”
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
"Shit Happens and Some Times You Have To Make it Happen"
A friend told me that several years ago. Unfortunately she was talking about helping karma by plotting revenge on a cheating boyfriend. I like to think of it in another way. Life is tough, no doubt about it. There are many ups and downs. I truly believe that the smallest of positive actions spreads out into the universe and brings back to you ten times the positive influences into your life. I know it sounds like a lot of “new age” bull crap but actually the belief is thousands of years old. My life is not perfect..... life is not perfect. I have my problems, I get mad, aggravated, sad, depressed, I am also happy beyond belief. Because when things are not right, when things are not as how I think they should be. It doesn’t take me long to look around and see how beautiful and what a miracle this life is. We have ALL come through stuff bad and good, most likely some of the good was bad at times and some of the bad was good at other times. That’s the way of the universe.
I can only tell you that my life is beautiful in so many ways. I can love people and open my heart to people and it doesn’t matter how they feel about me. In the last few year, life has become so joyful, I’m almost giddy at times at what might be around the next corner. I can only tell you what has worked for me. I hope you find it useful in bringing joy to your own life.
The first thing you need to do late at night, as your lying in bed just before you go to sleep, think back into your life way back even into child hood. Think about any action you have done that has caused any one harm, any one you were mean to, lied to or cheated. Ask for forgiveness.... if you don’t believe in god, offer it up to the cosmos, to a rock, what ever, just ask to be forgiven. Ask for the person you harmed to forgive you. Do this every night until your heart opens up and it comes from the center of your heart and soul. It will take time but it will happen. At the same time think about the people who have hurt you and ask to be given the strength to forgive those people and be compassionate towards those people. Do it every night until you feel it in your heart. Just before falling asleep, be thankful for the day that just happened, good and bad and ask that the next day be easy and go easy and to let good things happen.
So..... there’s that part, now here is the part where you make shit start to happen or as they say putting out good karma. This takes time.... patience....it is sometimes and often times hard. You have to start trying to live your life, as far as how you treat people, as if this were going to be your last day. You have to put out good deeds and actions. A simple smile and a little patience with a harried clerk. Letting some one go ahead of you. Holding a door for some one. Even things such as buying goods from a thrift store, using reusable bags at the grocery, recycling, supporting local business. When ever possible do something to help some one in their own struggle with life. These are all positive things.
Be kind to the earth and the people around you and in your community when ever possible and the rewards will be spectacular. The hard times wont seem so bad, good people that will love and help you will be put in your path, when times are lean the things you need will come to you, your life will become rich in ways that money can’t buy.
Well...... at least that is how it has happened for me, I’m still working on it. Don't take it too serious and remember to laugh AT EVERYTHING! Life is short! Peace!
I can only tell you that my life is beautiful in so many ways. I can love people and open my heart to people and it doesn’t matter how they feel about me. In the last few year, life has become so joyful, I’m almost giddy at times at what might be around the next corner. I can only tell you what has worked for me. I hope you find it useful in bringing joy to your own life.
The first thing you need to do late at night, as your lying in bed just before you go to sleep, think back into your life way back even into child hood. Think about any action you have done that has caused any one harm, any one you were mean to, lied to or cheated. Ask for forgiveness.... if you don’t believe in god, offer it up to the cosmos, to a rock, what ever, just ask to be forgiven. Ask for the person you harmed to forgive you. Do this every night until your heart opens up and it comes from the center of your heart and soul. It will take time but it will happen. At the same time think about the people who have hurt you and ask to be given the strength to forgive those people and be compassionate towards those people. Do it every night until you feel it in your heart. Just before falling asleep, be thankful for the day that just happened, good and bad and ask that the next day be easy and go easy and to let good things happen.
So..... there’s that part, now here is the part where you make shit start to happen or as they say putting out good karma. This takes time.... patience....it is sometimes and often times hard. You have to start trying to live your life, as far as how you treat people, as if this were going to be your last day. You have to put out good deeds and actions. A simple smile and a little patience with a harried clerk. Letting some one go ahead of you. Holding a door for some one. Even things such as buying goods from a thrift store, using reusable bags at the grocery, recycling, supporting local business. When ever possible do something to help some one in their own struggle with life. These are all positive things.
Be kind to the earth and the people around you and in your community when ever possible and the rewards will be spectacular. The hard times wont seem so bad, good people that will love and help you will be put in your path, when times are lean the things you need will come to you, your life will become rich in ways that money can’t buy.
Well...... at least that is how it has happened for me, I’m still working on it. Don't take it too serious and remember to laugh AT EVERYTHING! Life is short! Peace!
Something to Think About
Molecules awoke one morning to find that atoms were inside them, enfolded in their very being. Cells awoke one morning to find that molecules were actually inside them, as part of their being. And you might awake one morning and find that nature is a part of you, literally internal to your being. You would then treat nature as you would your lungs or kidneys. A spontaneous environmental ethics surges from your heart, and you will never again look at a river, a leaf, a deer, a robin in the same way.
Ken Wilber , “A brief History of Everything”
Ken Wilber , “A brief History of Everything”
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Chiropractor, massage and stretching
I've come to really believe in chiropractors, massage therapy and the benefits of stretching exercises.
The ancient Chinese said that when a tree is young it is supple and bends easily. When it is in old age it is stiff and brittle. A human being is the same way. As a youth the human body is supple and resilient. When it gets older it is stiff and bones break easier. The belief is that the more limber and supple the body the younger and better life you will have as you get older.
This makes perfect sense to me! I was also lucky enough to have lived in a place that has a Chiropractor school. Finding a good Chiropractor and massage therapist plus doing some stretching exercises on your own is fundamental to good health. I do not believe a chiropractor can cure the common cold but what it can do is help your immune system so your body is more capable of fighting disease and infection. I know from personal experience that a good chiropractor can help you become more limber and can help your spine and muscle movement. Your spine is the main highway of communication from your body to your brain. Its just common sense that if your spine is healthy your body is healthier.
A good massage therapist does much the same thing. Helping build good energy and getting rid of toxins and bad energy. I also have come across by pure accident the benefits of reflexology and through that the benefits of essential oils. A good reflexologist can tell you exactly what's going on with your body by massaging your toes and feet. When you combine it with the "raindrop" massage technique it is out of this world and you smell so good after wards. Last year, after a session, I went into a shop and overhearing a couple of people talking about how the Chinese restaurant must be cooking up something spicy and how good it smells. Realized it was me they were talking about! Ha,ha!!!
I urge you to find a good massage therapist, chiropractor and find you some stretching exercises. In a month you wont believe the difference in the way you feel.
The ancient Chinese said that when a tree is young it is supple and bends easily. When it is in old age it is stiff and brittle. A human being is the same way. As a youth the human body is supple and resilient. When it gets older it is stiff and bones break easier. The belief is that the more limber and supple the body the younger and better life you will have as you get older.
This makes perfect sense to me! I was also lucky enough to have lived in a place that has a Chiropractor school. Finding a good Chiropractor and massage therapist plus doing some stretching exercises on your own is fundamental to good health. I do not believe a chiropractor can cure the common cold but what it can do is help your immune system so your body is more capable of fighting disease and infection. I know from personal experience that a good chiropractor can help you become more limber and can help your spine and muscle movement. Your spine is the main highway of communication from your body to your brain. Its just common sense that if your spine is healthy your body is healthier.
A good massage therapist does much the same thing. Helping build good energy and getting rid of toxins and bad energy. I also have come across by pure accident the benefits of reflexology and through that the benefits of essential oils. A good reflexologist can tell you exactly what's going on with your body by massaging your toes and feet. When you combine it with the "raindrop" massage technique it is out of this world and you smell so good after wards. Last year, after a session, I went into a shop and overhearing a couple of people talking about how the Chinese restaurant must be cooking up something spicy and how good it smells. Realized it was me they were talking about! Ha,ha!!!
I urge you to find a good massage therapist, chiropractor and find you some stretching exercises. In a month you wont believe the difference in the way you feel.
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