STRIKE, BEND, LIFT, & FLY

I am not a dietician and I don’t play a nutritionist on TV.  All that I can speak to on the topic of diet and nutrition is what I have found that works for me, at least right now, because dietary needs certainly change over time.  So, I have no great pearls of wisdom, just where I have come to be in terms of food.

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First off, after flirting with vegetarianism off and on over the years, I have come to accept that I am an omnivore, like many other successful species on the planet (i.e. rats and roaches).  So, I am not into diets that put any food groups off-limits, including low or no carbohydrate diets.   In fact, I tried to go without carbs for a week and felt like I might commit suicide.  Seriously, it was like all light had left the world, and I crumpled up into a small lifeless ball.  Similarly, some people are very down on fruit, but I love it.  If I were forced to choose only one food group, I would probably become a fruitarian.  But again, I have come to believe that eating some of everything is best for me.  Obviously, I have no allergies or intolerances and, if someone does, that is different.

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Second, I learned some time ago not to eat crap, i.e. fast-food, microwave meals, or too much of anything in a box or bag with unpronounceable ingredients.  As I see it, the problem with these foods is that they are high in calories but low in nutrients, and worst chock-a-block with sodium.  If you stop eating this stuff, you will find that most of it tastes awful if you try to eat it again, sickeningly salty or sweet. 

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Third, the corollary to not eating crap is learning to cook.  My suggestion for learning to cook is to find a good basic cookbook for a type of cooking or cuisine that you like.  Then, work your way through the book, following all the instructions and purchasing the basic ingredients and equipment necessary.  This is how my husband and I learned to cook.  We bought a Weber grill and along with it Weber’s Big Book of Grilling.  The book covered a lot of basics, like different cuts of meat, what kinds of seasonings and oils to stock, and necessary equipment.  We followed the instructions to the letter.  As a result, we were able to make great tasting food, which is a terrific motivator for taking to the trouble to cook for yourself every night.  (We found that if we deviated from the instructions, i.e. taking short-cuts or making substitutions, the food did not taste as good.)  Does all of this take effort?  Yes, but we decided that we were worth the effort.  Having learned cooking basics and gained culinary confidence, we eventually branched out from grilling into other areas (since grilling in the snow does get old).

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Fourth, eat some raw stuff every day.  The options here are numerous.  Of course, you can make a salad.  Or you can eat a bowl of baby carrots or slice up a cucumber or pepper.  In terms of fruit, it does not get much easier than eating an apple, pear, or orange.  Also, some nuts are a good raw choice.  Why raw?  One word – fiber.  Your digestive system will thank you.

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Lastly, I take a variety of supplements.  This has changed a lot over time and I think that everyone has to just experiment for themselves to find supplements that work for them.  A multivitamin seems like a no-brainer - personally I like to load up on vitamin C, although I have read that others don’t think this is a good idea.  I also like collagen for joints, and supplement with minerals such as iron, magnesium, and potassium.  Again, I think that all of this is found through individual trial and error.  Also, if you eat good, you probably don’t need any of it, but I still do it.  Perhaps, it is just a placebo effect, but I feel better when I supplement.

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So that’s it.  I know, probably not very enlightening.  Most essential, however, is to learn how to cook.  Second to learning how to read, learning how to cook is probably the most important life skill that you can acquire.