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| Sweet cherries |
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| Fresh pineapple. The core is high in bromelain, which has been proven to help arthritis. I cut it up and place in the blender to create a "mush," best eaten with a spoon. Canned doesn't work; the bromelain is in the core. (Supplements also are available but I prefer eating the real thing). |
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| Blueberries from my garden! |
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| Tomatoes and peppers, fresh in season; canned when out of season. |
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| You know the old saying, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." |
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| Sweet bell peppers |
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| Green tea, four cups per day. |
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| I love garlic and use it in many dishes I cook. |
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| Cucumber, to make Sassy Water, add to salads or sliced and sprinkled with lemon pepper. Cucumbers have many, many health benefits! |
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| Black olives |
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| Black beans and beets |
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| Almonds |
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| I love walnuts |
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| Extra virgin olive oil |
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| Honey, preferably raw and unfiltered |
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| Turmeric, to make a tea that's good for joint health |
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| Cinnamon in my yogurt each morning |
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| Ginger, ground or fresh. I preserve fresh ginger in a jar with vodka. It lasts indefinitely! Add ginger to tea and some dishes I prepare. |
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| Avocado. Leftovers placed in a jar and stored with lemon juice will keep it from turning dark. |
The other reason I'm very careful about what I eat is to avoid weight gain and potential diseases that could occur as time passes.
Other items that a part of my diet include peanut butter, yogurt, eggs, leafy greens, chick peas and onion. A recent addition is Tofu. With my switch to a vegetarian diet, I take care to ensure I get enough protein.
So my diet is mainly Mediterranean, which is highly touted as a healthy one.
I am not obsessed with what I eat but I've just trained myself to eat without fussing about it too much. The good news is that since my husband has also gone vegetarian, I'm not spending as much time cooking meals.
What about you? Do you have any recommendations for eating a healthy diet?
Dear Sanda, this is an excellent post, and I do love the title. Like you, I try to use food rather than pills to stay healthy, and eat many of these items on a daily basis. But I didn't know that about the pineapple core, and as I have a bit of arthritis, bothering me in the cold weather, I intend to try it out. Do you eat fish? I eat a lot of fish rather than meat now. Great tip re the avocado, as we often throw the last of the avocado away, which is wasteful considering they cost about $3 each here. I am right with you on the daily apple, the olives and their oil, cherries, tomatos, beets, and bell peppers. When I miss my daily 'fix' (happens usually when away from home) I really notice the difference, and a slump in well-being. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patricia. Re the pineapple, do a web search and read about all the wonders of the pineapple core, esp. for arthritis. We do eat fish but no meats. I had thought I would miss it, esp. bacon, but I haven't missed eating meat the first time. Also, and maybe its coincidence, but I find I don't get hungry now. As mealtime approaches, and even tho I haven't eaten a single between-meal snack, I find I'm not very hungry for the upcoming meal. I knew that you, too, are a healthy eater and I see we share the same food likes! My one big "downfall" is breads; love them; could eat at every meal. I envy you about to sample all those wonderful European breads and pastries!
DeleteI love most of these items, though I'm a bit lukewarm on black olives and avocado. Bill doesn't care for them so I don't buy them. I'm not wild about beetroot either, but I eat it because it's good for me (the root and the greens). We try to grow them in the back garden, with varying success. I've never thought of cinnamon in yoghurt (or ginger in vodka!). I'm currently having my first ever try of making yoghurt at home - in a Thermos! It looks as though it has set but the instructions say to leave it a few more hours. We eat anything (well, Bill won't have 'squidgy' things like mussels but I ate them once and lived. We eat most things but try to eat more vegetables - in a variety of colours and in season - than anything else and to only have red meat once or twice a month. My main healthy aims have been to avoid sugar, cakes, cookies and the like. Our usual dessert is sliced fruit with yoghurt or plain. It's been years since I drank pop on a regular basis, though I do enjoy tonic on occasion with lemon or OJ (and very occasionally with gin!). Bill's heart reacts strangely to coffee so he only drinks tea or decaff now. When our supply of caffeinated coffee runs out I expect I'll change over as well. I still snack occasionally, but I find that if I make sure I get in all the good stuff I'm supposed to have, it doesn't usually leave a lot of room for anything else!
ReplyDeleteCinnamon in yogurt is really good! I'm with you on the less sugar, but that's difficult for me...but I'm really trying. Haven't drank soft drinks in years. But I MUST have my caffeinated coffee mornings!
DeleteI like everything you mention and the benefits of pineapple core are new to me. I try to eat unprocessed foods as much a possible and meat seldom and then in very small amounts. Like you bread is a weakness, I've been trying to cut back on that. Some days are more successful than others.
ReplyDeleteDarla
I believe if people stopped eating processed foods and drinking soft drinks we'd solve the obesity problem in this country!
DeleteI could say a yes to almost everything you have shown.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunate for me, but I get tummy aches from nuts.
I admit taking my substitutes, the vitamin, etc. pills every now and then,
An educative post.
Tonight I fixed kale in a casserole and it was quite good. I think that some people have become so accustomed to eating over-processed food that their taste buds no longer (or never) know what real food tastes like. Nothing wrong with supplements/vitamins!
DeleteMediterranean diet has served me well over the years as my health checks prove,like you enjoy fresh food in season,especially the strawberries/raspberries which are abundant here,lots of fish,veg,nuts.Olive oil is a no,no as it causes upset tummy/vomiting urggh!. Honeycombs/honey from our local beekeeper.Have cut out cakes/biscuits anything with sugar added.
ReplyDeleteHB bought some Twinings green tea,sorry Sanda, it was awful back to my Yorkshire tea.Have just found Cranks brown seeded bread no added sugar,one slice is very filling.
Judith, I hated green tea when I first tried it. I find that adding a bit of honey makes all the difference. I actually prefer green tea iced rather than hot. It's an acquired taste for sure! I haven't found a bread without sugar but still looking.
DeleteThat's a lot of different foods to fit in. I eat cherries in pie, but I doubt that counts. ;) And I thought I was doing good with canned pineapple; I had no idea the core was where the goodies were. I'll be adding fresh pineapple to my grocery list. I love blueberries, tomatoes, peppers and apples, nuts and honey... love black beans, olive oil and cinnamon... The others not so much. It's hard to get everything in every day that I need to have.
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't know; I think it DOES count! Yeah, same here with canned pineapple; thought I was doing good and then started reading about the bromelain angle. Fresh pineapple is quite expensive. I may check out the bromelain supplements and alternate between the two. It IS difficult to get everything in; and I don't eat all these every day, but during a span of several days I try to eat all of the above, plus eggs, yogurt and broccoli.
DeleteThe things you mention are all some of the things I like most. Haven't developed the taste for green tea yet but still trying. I love swiss cheese so much and this summer with fresh tomatoes and basil it has become an almost daily item. Got to try the pineapple thing....it might help the knee problem! Good information. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteTry a bit of honey in the green tea, also ginger. Makes a big difference. Swiss cheese is great. Mother told me Dr. Oz said eat it every day to get ride of butt fat!! She keeps me informed on what Dr. Oz is saying; I never watch him. Do try the pineapple cure. I'm hoping it helps me!
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