What's Your Definition of Healthy?

There are a lot of definitions of the word "healthy" out there. Honestly, I know there is at least a tiny part of each of us that would like to eat a bit more on the healthy side, but that can be a real challenge when "healthy" can mean so many different things. One person may tell you that to be healthy, a food has to be low in calories. Another person might tell you that it must be low in fat or in carbs. Others will tell you that healthy foods are high in a certain nutrient, say protein or vitamin C. The truth? They're all right and they're all wrong. Healthy is MUCH simpler than that. Think back for a moment to the days when diabetes, cancer, and auto-immune diseases were much less common. What were they eating then? Much less soda and potato chips and a lot more fruits and vegetables.

Here's my take on what healthy means:

• Whole foods are great! What does that mean? Check out the ingredient list. The fewer weird or unrecognizable things on the label, the closer it is to being a whole food. Fruits and vegetables, dairy, unprocessed meat, and some grain-based foods apply. Take these deliciously simple foods, combine them together, and make a yummy homemade recipe. I'd take homemade over store-bought any day. Then YOU can control what's in it. 
• Low calorie does not necessarily mean healthy. Take diet soda. NO nutrients whatsoever, and may even be worse for you than the regular stuff (the jury is still out on this one). Or water, 100% calorie free! But you can't live on a diet of only water, can you? No. If you follow the low-calorie rule, you'll probably miss out on some wonderfully healthy foods that are higher in calories. Some examples: Peanut butter, cheese, milk, and avocados. These foods are great! The key is to eat only a little of them at a time. A spoonful of peanut butter with an apple, a couple of slices of cheese with whole grain crackers, or a slice of avocado on your tacos. Oh, and I hope you are having a glass of milk every night with dinner (or milk substitute if you're allergic). Try skim if you're worried about the calories. 
• Everything else in moderation. Doritos, Lucky Charms, Snickers, etc. You know your favorite "unhealthy" food of choice. You can have these every once in awhile, but don't make them your main course. Use them as a snack, a reward for yourself after a long day, or even a "I just can't eat one more carrot" break. Our pitfall here in the luxuriously wealthy United States is that we have so many less healthy foods right at our finger tips, and we take their ease and yummy taste, a blessing, and overdose on it. We are in control of our own lives, and our own diets. Forget what the t.v. commercials tell you to eat, and eat the way you know your body wants you to eat. It'll thank you, trust me. 

Here's a great whole food recipe! I adapted this from AllRecipes.com. 

 Black Bean Salsa

1) 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

2) 1 can of whole corn, drained

3) 2 roma tomatoes, diced

4) 2 avocados, diced

5) 1 small onion, diced (you can choose red, yellow, white, or even green)

6) Juice from 2 limes

7) 1 tsp salt

8) 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (optional - I usually leave out)

9) Black pepper to taste

Mix all together and serve with chips, quesadillas, tacos, etc. 

-Kamie

Kamie's Tip of the Week: Whole Grains

Whole grain, whole grain, whole grain! Everyone is talking about whole grain! What is that all about? While it is true that whole grain foods are healthier than other grain-based foods because they contain more fiber and other important nutrients, there is a tendency to think that whole grain means only whole wheat. This is not true. Whole corn, whole rice, and other whole grains can be just as beneficial if not more beneficial than whole wheat. What are some examples of non-wheat whole grain foods? Brown rice, Kix or corn flake cereals, oatmeal, etc. Just look at the label of a food, and if the first ingredient is whole-something, than it is probably a whole grain food.

So why does this matter? Because with the outbreak of celiac disease and wheat intolerance, it is come to the attention of nutritionists that wheat may not be all it's cracked up to be. Apparently, there are certain proteins in wheat that the human body occasionally forms antibodies against, meaning that it forms an allergic response to them. That means that some people get sick when they eat wheat. You may have noticed that some people you know are just discovering that they have this allergy, or maybe you do yourself. This is becoming more common because our American society eats so much wheat! More than is healthy for us. So, my advice for this week is to eat whole grains, but to try to eat a variety of them, and eat less wheat if you can. By lessening the amount of wheat in your diet, you may protect yourself from one day becoming allergic to it and having to stay away from it entirely.

Take home message: Just like any food, wheat is not bad nor is it a super-food. It is good for you if you eat it in moderation.

-Kamie