Food Rules Friday

Michael Pollan is an acclaimed author and whole food/heathy eating advocate. He is the author of the best selling "In Defense of Food" and "The Omnivore's Dillemma."


Rule #23: "Eating what stands on one leg (mushrooms and plant foods) is better than eating what stands on two legs (fowl) which is better than eating what stands on four legs (cows, pigs and other mammals)."

"This Chinese proverb offers a good summary of traditional wisdom regarding the relative healthfulness of different kinds of food, though it inexplicably leaves out the very healthful and very legless fish."

A good point on the relative healthfulness of fish.  Perhaps it isn't in the proverb because fish would presumably be inserted between plants and fowl, putting a zero between one and two, and disrupting the illustrative numerical progression.

Green Choices Wednesday - Cold Water Laundring

Another simple green choice-- wash clothes in cold water instead of hot water!

• Uses a fraction of the energy - 80 to 90% energy savings!  Saves $$$; saves the Earth!
• Gets most loads just as clean - you may still want to use warm for a few heavily soiled loads.
• Clothes washed in cold water last longer!  Less replacement cost for you, and less demand on resources if fewer replacements are needed.

Silent Saturday

Silent Saturday

Food Rules Friday

Today begins a new weekly feature, "Food Rules Friday," each featuring a rule from Michael Pollan's newest book, "Food Rules - An Eater's Manual." Michael Pollan is an acclaimed author and whole food/heathy eating advocate.  He is the author of the best selling "In Defense of Food" and "The Omnivore's Dillemma."

Rule #1: "Eat Food."

On first glance, one may think this is ridiculously obvious.  What else would anyone eat, but food?  But with this simple statement, Pollan introduces a basic concept contained in his books.  Much of what is eaten in the modern diet is overly-processed and factory-produced and contains an incredible array of added chemicals and unhealthy ingredients. Many ingredients are chemically altered.  Two ingredients that I avoid at all costs are hydrogenated or trans-fats, and high-fructose corn syrup.  More on these in future posts. 

We just eat too many pre-packaged "convenience foods" and "fast food," instead of preparing fresh food from fresh natural ingredients.  In addition to chemical additives, factory-produced processed foods contain added fats and sugars, and replace whole grains with refined grains. Is it a coincidence that obesity, heart disease, and diabetes have trended upward at the same time as the prolifieration of processed foods?

Pollan makes a statement that "Most of these items don't deserve to be called food-- I call them edible foodlike substances."  Hence, the Number 1 rule is simply "Eat Food!"

Green Choices Wednesday

Meatless Monday

(These recipes are available at http://www.meatlessmonday.com/)

For a change of pace, this is a Wednesday feature about a Monday event.  There is a growing "Meatless Monday" movement that originated from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, to encourage Americans to eat healthier.  As the movement evolved, it has also gained the support of environmentalists.

The Meatless Monday goal is to "help reduce meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet."

Health Benefits:

• REDUCE RISK OF HEART DISEASE. Beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds contain little to no saturated fats. Reducing your intake of saturated fats can help keep your cholesterol low and reduce your risk of heart disease.
• MAINTAIN HEALTHY WEIGHT. A plant-based diet is a great source of fiber, which is absent in animal products. Foods rich in fiber make you feel full with fewer calories, resulting in lower calorie intake and less overeating. On average, Americans get less than half the recommended daily quantity of fiber.  
• IMPROVE OVERALL QUALITY OF DIET. Consuming dry beans or peas results in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium with lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat. 

          (Source: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/)
 
Environmental Benefits:

• REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide . . . far more than transportation. And annual worldwide demand for meat continues to grow. Reining in meat consumption once a week can help slow this trend.  
• MINIMIZE WATER USAGE. The water needs of livestock are tremendous, far above those of vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef. Soy tofu produced in California requires 220 gallons of water per pound. 
• HELP REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE. On average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein. Moderating meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.

         (Source: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/)

Links to Meatless Mondays Around the World:
Australia
Brazil
Britain
Canada (Quebec)
Finland
Holland
Taiwan
USA

Think Green - Consider the impact on the environment of everyday lifestyle choices!
 
Many people have switched to vegetarian diets for the health and environmental reasons listed above, in addition to concern for animal treatment in factory farms and slaughterhouses. However, doing without meat one (or more) days a week is a way for concerned citizens who are not interested in full vegetarianism to make a positive impact on the environment and their own personal health!

Physical Activity Is Better than Medicine

Want to avoid getting a cold this Winter?  Keep active!

An article published by the American College for Sports Medicine cites studies that show that there is a 25 to 50 percent reduction in illness among active people who complete 45 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week.

“This reduction in illness far exceeds anything a drug or pill can offer...All is takes is a pair of walking shoes to help prevent becoming one of the thousands predicted to suffer from the common cold this winter.”

Two Challenges: Environmental and Fitness

I recently came across two interesting challenges: one Eco-challenge, to conserve fuel or energy this Winter, and one Fitness challenge, to complete 100 pushups.

Reading The Crunchy Chicken Eco-blog, the 2009 annual Freeze Yer Buns Lower the Thermostat challenge has been underway since October 19, with 65 pledges so far to lower thermostat settings this Winter.  I'll accept this challenge; in recent years, we've only heated on a few of the coldest days.  Most days we get by with no heat, dressing more warmly and letting the indoor temperature fall into the 50's.  In our mild Winters, only a handful of days get colder than this.

Here is the fitness challenge, the One Hundred Pushups challenge.  It's a six-week conditioning program, three sessions per week, about 10 minutes each.  I'll give it a shot.   For fitness, running is my primary focus.  However, a runner shouldn't neglect the upper body, since arm swing is so important to running mechanics.  Arm swing counterbalances leg motion, reducing workload on the legs, and plays a major role in running efficiency.  An experienced marathon runner once told me, "When your legs get really tired, pay more attention to just keeping your arms moving.  Your legs will follow."  Push-ups and running complement each other on another level; they both fit well with a sustainable lifestyle.  They are free, can be done anywhere, and don't require special equipment or consumption of resources.