First of all, I am sorry to hear about your friend.
Secondly, that is amazing! I wonder how long it will be before I lose some of my food sensitivities. Well, everything I was sensitive to was bad for me, like flour, sugar, and grains, so I guess it really doesn't matter.
I had a rotten gut for 10 years, had I known it was from eating bad carbs I would have stopped years ago. I thought it was from stress that I internalized...happy on the outside, stressed on the inside. The whole time I thought I was a very healthy eater! My tummy hurt more when I was a "vegan"...go figure.
By the way Free, my daughter has finally taken up reading labels!!! I didn't want to push it on her because she is very sensitive about her weight. (She has been on inhaled steroids her whole life, it isnt her fault.) I kept mostly healthy things in the house, but allowed a bit of fun stuff like granola bars etc. The problem is when she went to her friend's house or if she traded her lunch with the other kids at school. She ate what I made most of the time, but didn't really pay much attention to it when she left the house.
She finally decided to pay attention to what she wanted to eat. YEA! She asked me some questions about 3 weeks ago and now she is an avid label reader. Woot!!! I'm so glad I didn't have to sit her down and tell her, "child, youv'e got to pay better attention to what you eat when you are at your friend's house...". It was coming to that.
Now her friend's MOTHER is asking HER questions on what to eat!!!
It really has to be their idea, doesn't it? Whatever it takes! Her friend's mom asking her questions will make her want to learn more, so that is fantastic!!!
Hmmm, do you remember where in NT you read that? There is so much info in that book, it makes one's head spin, so much of it is centrifuged right out!
Maybe industrial pork only? Not pastured? At least beef cattle spend some time on pasture, normally, with their mama's. And they are fed some hay. Not piggies. No sunshine. Etc.
I can't find that here, so that is driving the decision to raise them. I would prefer beef, personally, but hay is priced for show horses here and I don't think my pasture would support a calf yet. Definitely not through the cool weather needed for home slaughter.
I will look it up when I get a minute....but frankly if you are not worried about it then I am not! Any excuse for salami & bacon.
Sally, I am convinced that my hankering for salami stems from eating a clean diet....I used to have so much salt from so many sources, I think my body is just reminding me that salt is a good thing ...as Martha would say
Decided to re-read your journal from page one because of my recent veggie struggles It should have a cover charge it's so chock full of good info.
Sigh, I think I need to reduce my carb intake for a bit. I'm not generally on the low, low carb bandwagon, but rather just the reduced one. I have been a little too lenient lately and need to pull back.
I'm also trying to quit caffeine, but I really love my coffee. I'm switching to decaf for awhile because I care more about the flavor and routine than the jolt.
How on earth did any of you get used to stevia? I hate it. HATE it. I tried a pinch in my coffee today and it left an aftertaste that I could still detect after an hour. And I only used a pinch. It didn't even sweeten my drink.
I don't think I know of anyone who likes stevia in coffee, so don't feel bad and don't give up on stevia. It depends on the brand, too. I drink tea, and I will use it in regular black tea, but it is not my favorite. I can't detect it in my more flavorful teas, the stronger herby ones. I drink homemade chai mixed with black tea almost exclusively, and I cannot taste the stevia in it at all.
You can really get all the carbs your body needs if you eat a lot of veggies....and remember to count the following as carbs, and most are 1/2 cup=one serving, so get out a half cup measure and get used to what it looks like on your plate. You'll be shocked. The good news is, if you are eating a variety of veggies, you are probably eating more servings than you thought you were!
Good carb review, from best to "use occasionally but don't depend on:"
Beans and lentils, prepared without sugar or molasses, etc.
Yams and sweet potatoes
Winter squash
Barely processed whole grains, such as thick-cut oatmeal, steel-cut oats, whole grains cooked whole such as oat groats, wheat berries, etc, quinoa, whole buckwheat, etc.
Whole grain sprouted bread or Ezekiel bread
Other whole grain breads, with 5-6 g fiber per slice and very little sweetener...1-2 g per slice if possible
100% whole wheat pasta, bulgur wheat, whole wheat couscous
corn
peas
potatoes (preferably with skin on and eaten with saturated fats such as butter and sour cream in moderation....but remember, a serving is.....all together now.....half a cup! An average restaurant baked potato is probably 6-8 servings or more!)
Our sense of a serving size in this country is so far out of whack it is a joke. If I make muffins for some potluck or something, I find myself struggling with being embarrassed that they look so puny. Sheesh.
So you are not alone, Javamama, and it is not your fault that you need to lose weight. We are bombarded with lies and deception from the food industry, the USDA food guides, and the weight loss industry.
Good news is, though, that REAL food is good for you!!!! Butter rules!!!!
Oh, coffee. My best advice is to reduce the sugar in your coffee daily until you reach your limit....barely sweetened, if you can. And always drink your coffee after starting a high-fiber meal or snack so it slows the impact on your blood sugar. Then REALLY be good about not eating any sugar or white flour or "bad carbs" at any other time....and reduce your coffee intake so you can reduce your sugar intake. Coffee is such an important ritual to so many that I would rather advise you to do the above rather than give up altogether.
Be aware, though, that what many people crave is not so much the caffeine but the sugar. That is likely the case with you. My clue was the fact that you can enjoy decaf, no problem. I bet it is the sugar you are addicted to.
It takes one to know one.....I CRAVED my tea in the morning, and switched to decaf, too, trying to be healthier....took me a while to figure this out. I'm giving you a head start.... Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!