| | |  Entertainment | Restaurants & Dining | August 2008 
Irreverent Chef: Eat the Rainbow - Put Some Color in Your Life!
 Liana Turner - PVNN
| | Choosing fresh, healthy foods first can make a huge difference in quality of life, and isn't that what we all want? | | |
When I was younger I hadn't yet developed sympathy yet for aging. It wasn't real yet. I remember sending my brother a sympathy card for his 30th birthday as a joke. Even though he was only 9 years older than me, the difference between 21 and 30 seemed vast. Now I know differently. Time passes without warning. We still feel 23 and all of a sudden we are 50, 60, 70... and hopefully 90 or 100.
One of the things that can help to make this journey easier and more healthful is diet. Yes, we get preached to all the time on the news, magazines, radio, etc... but it is really so simple.
It's really more important what you DO eat than what you don't. Eat the rainbow. Eat colored foods. Blueberries, apples, green lettuce, yellow bananas, orange oranges, red plums, bright yellow peppers, crimson raspberries... you get the idea.
If we can change our way of thinking just a bit... instead of counting calories or perusing nutritional charts, or lists of forbidden foods... we can really make a serious dent in our unhealthy ways. It is not difficult to be healthy. It is a state of mind and choices.
Choosing fresh, healthy foods first can make a huge difference in quality of life, and isn't that what we all want? Many of us have given up old, unhealthy habits, like smoking, recreational drugs and running around with scissors, and that is very good, but not enough on its own. We need to replace the unhealthiness with some good stuff.
Brown is a Color Too
Yes, it is, and meat has its place in the diets of meat eaters. However, statistics show that people who don't eat meat live longer. That might not be enough incentive for some diehard carnivores, but we can still increase longevity by cutting back on fatty meats and indulging more in lean meats, such as sea foods, white poultry and lean pork (boneless loin is a good choice).
For Those Who Still Need a List of Things to Avoid
Avoid unhealthy fast foods. There are some good choices among all the bad stuff, such as salads, fruit, grilled chicken. Ask for no sauce. Remember, when ordering food, even in a fast food joint, you have the right to ask for what you want. For your breakfast muffin it's ok to say, "no butter please." Of course, whatever it is they use for butter is probably not the real thing, but whatever it is, you're better off without it. Don't be shy. You can ask for what you really want. No sauce. No cheese. You get the idea.
Check labels. If you don't understand what something is, you probably shouldn't be eating it. Strange chemicals have no business being in healthy food. They are unnecessary and should be avoided. Easy.
Aspartame
Yes, I have a "thing" against it, and I'm not ashamed to tell you. It has been banned in some developed countries, and that's good enough for me. There are so many better sugar substitutes that have not been promoted and lobbied for by chemical companies, that there is no need for Aspartame in the world's diet. Do yourself a favor and don't use it. Look for Stevia in your local health food store. It has no calories, no carbohydrates, and also may help regulate blood sugar. Also, if you care, write to manufacturers and tell them that you don't want that crap (aspartame) in your food.
Eating healthy should not have to be a great sacrifice. It doesn't have to be all about calorie counting and bland, boring food. If we find the colorful and healthy foods that we enjoy and make them a part of our life, we can enjoy our diet and also feel better.
PS: Message to Costco. We all know that printing is expensive and we also know that we, the consumers, are paying for your printing, so could you please take it down a notch with the fliers and coupon books? There are way too many of them, and every time I see them piled up in the store, I just think about how much I could save if you wouldn't waste so much paper, and if I wasn't paying for it. I also think about the environment and how much you are wasting with all that unnecessary paper. Thanks, Costco, I hope you will listen.
 The Irreverent Chef, a.k.a. Liana Turner, is the chef and owner of Paradise Bakery and Catering. Serving the "Best Cinnamon Rolls in Vallarta," along with delicious sandwiches, salads, main dishes and yummy sweet treats every day but Sunday, and providing all styles of catering services, from pre-prepared meals to-go for informal gatherings to full service elegance for dinners, cocktail parties, wedding receptions and special events, Paradise Bakery & Catering is located at Sierra Aconcagua 299, Prolongacion Brasil, Colonia Lazaro Cardenas, Puerto Vallarta. For more information, call (322) 222-5133 or visit VallartaCatering.com.
Click HERE for more articles by The Irreverent Chef |
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