That’s right.  Got the results from my physical last week, and they were awesome. I am never sure–at least not since my bout with breast cancer a few years back–how the test results are going to come out.  But I felt pretty good going in, and I have been working hard to change my diet, de-stress whenever possible, and just plain take care of myself.

After meeting with my doctor, one message came through loud and clear–my diet is doing amazing things for my health.  I grew up a die-hard, meat-eating carnivore.  In my late 20s I changed that up somewhat, my thirties, even more so.  Now in my mid-forties, I have all but wiped meat out of my diet.

I eliminated the meat at first because my family history is not so good on the cardiac side, but at first it was a half-hearted attempt.  And to this day, I still haven’t completely kicked Thanksgiving turkey off of my plate.  But for the most part, I am meat-free, and feeling very good.  The sluggish days where my diet and its high concentration of animal fats ruled are gone, along with the lingering side effects I used to feel.  

The best part–my doc told me I possess the physical fitness, blood pressure, cholesterol, flexibility, endurance and bone density (yea!) of someone half my age.  So it’s really paying off.  I never thought much about the longevity aspect of it–I just wanted to purify my little engine and feel better, but added longevity…wow, what a bonus!

I do owe a lot to meditation and yoga, too.  Especially the low blood pressure.  Training my mind and body to relax and be present has also made a huge difference.

Still on the fence? I hope not.  I know it isn’t for everyone, but at least give yourself the added edge of increasing the amount of vegetables and fruits in your diet.  That step alone can really help a lot.  And put down that sugar, too.  I’m living proof it is never too late.

Peace.  

Post from: EveryJoe

Living Proof–A Greener Diet Can Help Keep You Young

It’s a common belief that many of my friends share–if you follow a vegetarian diet, you won’t be able to get as far with strength training and athletic pursuits.

Wrong. True, it is going to be a bit more complex to attain the level of protein in your diet that your body looks for when you’re undertaking a strength traning regimen. But it isn’t impossible.

Many experts recommend 1.6 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.73 grams per pound). There are ways for you to get enough protein to reach this recommended amount with low-fat dairy products and protein rich plant sources.

Try working these non-meat protein sources into your diet for your daily dose:

-Milk, 8 ounces=8 grams
-Tofu, 3 ounces=15 grams
-Yogurt, 8 ounces=8 grams
-Cheese, 3 ounces=21 grams
-Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons=8 grams

An even stickier issue, especially for female athletes who are vegetarians, is how to get much-needed iron into your diets. The truth is, our bodies just don’t absorb the iron found in non-animal proteins as easily as they do from animal proteins. Good sources of non-animal based iron include leafy green vegetables, whole grain cereals, figs, lentils, kidney beans and some dried fruits. If you do eat fish or chicken, you should be able to get plenty of iron in your diet.

Because your body will need a little extra help absorbing the iron from non-animal sources, you need to be sure you are getting enough vitamin C. Try to work vitamin C into meals where you’re consuming significant amounts of iron from non-meat sources. For example, if you’re eating a breakfast loaded with whole grains, don’t forget to drink your juice! It will help your body absorb the iron found in your cereal.

One of the most common nutrients missing from the vegetarian athlete’s diet is B-12. Found only in animal products, B-12 can be tricky to control. You should be able to get enough B-12 from eggs, cheese, milk and yogurt. But another great way to supplement is by replacing cow’s milk on your cereal with soymilk.

So going green with your diet doesn’t have to diminish your returns when it comes to strength training. With a little planning and education, you should be able to achieve your goals and maintain your vegetarian lifestyle, beautifully.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

Think a vegetarian diet and being an athlete don’t mix? Think again

First of all, apologies for not posting this sooner, I have a cold.  Which prompted this post, actually.  I started thinking about things I USED to love and be able to tolerate eating when I felt under the weather.  Soup was the first thing that came to my mind.  My mother’s chicken soup was number two.  Number three–I’m not eating meat now, better use my recipe for a simple vegetable broth.

Lucky for me, I live very close to a huge fresh market.  Even luckier, I stopped there as usual Saturday morning to graze the produce.  Bought tons of stuff I haven’t even touched yet.  So I pulled out a stock pan while I was home this afternoon, and started tossing the veggies in, one after the other.

Here’s the world’s simplest recipe for a vegetable broth, great for you, and totally in keeping with Vegetarian Awareness Month (nice for the chillier fall weather, too):

1. Start by grabbing a large stock pot or pan

2.  Put in just about any vegetables you have.  No need to even chop them as you will be cooking them for a long time, and straining the broth later.  In most cases, you won’t even have to peel them,  and the skins have tons of vitamins in them anyway so you’ll want to cook those into your broth, too.

3.  Take some garlic cloves, place them on a counter or chopping board, take a knife, lay it on top of the cloves, and pound the top of the knife with your fist, smashing them nicely.  Throw the cloves into the pot, peel and all.

4. Add salt, pepper and any fresh herbs you like.  My favorites for a nice vegetable broth are fresh thyme and flat leaf Italian parsley.

5. Add one gallon of water to all of the above ingredients.

6. Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat, and continue to simmer for at least an hour.  I like to cover my pot while the broth is cooking.  I also tend to leave it on almost two hours to really cook the flavors together.

7. Remove from heat.  Allow the broth to cool a little.

8. Pour or ladle the contents through a strainer.

You’ve got your broth!  Some of the vegetables I never cook this dish without include parsnips, turnips, celery, onions, bell peppers, a fennel bulb, tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower stems.  These veggies all have a nice strong flavor “bite” for me.  If you like a milder broth, might want to leave out the cauliflower, turnips and a few other items. 

I just finished my third bowl.  Fat-free and full of vitamins. I’m feeling better already.  And I didn’t have to sacrifice a bird to do it!

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

Build Vegetarian Culinary Muscle with a Basic Broth