Forcing the Healthy Agenda, Maybe Not the Best

July 8, 2013 / ktbuchs87

This holiday weekend my husband, Adam and I, spent the weekend at Lake Webster in Indiana. We had a great time relaxing, spending time with family, getting out on the water in the boat/jet ski, and eating delicious food! Obviously one of my favorite parts of the weekend was cooking delicious meals for the whole family and then enjoying the company while feasting! Because we were out in the good old Midwest, we had to stop at a farm stand to pick up some sweet corn and other delicious produce like watermelon. On a farm stand run, I noticed that there was a sign that said they accepted SNAP money. For those of you who don’t know SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, aka Food Stamps. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that people who are enrolled in SNAP could purchase fresh local produce at a farm stand. It made me think about the controversy that is going on with SNAP right now.

There has been an ongoing debate over allowing the government to dictate what people can purchase using SNAP. Some believe that the government should not allow those enrolled in SNAP to purchase unhealthy food with their money. Others say that the government has no right to tell people what they should or should not eat. This is not just a debate going on over food stamps either. Remember a few months back when Mayor Bloomberg of NYC tried to get a citywide ban on purchasing soda over 16 oz? The bill was shot down in court and never made it through. These types of debates pop up all the time and have for a long time. Seeing the current back and forth over SNAP though got me thinking, what was my stance on the issue?

You might think that this would be a simple issue for me. I write a health blog and firmly believe in a healthy life for ALL people, whether they utilize food stamps or not. You might think that I would side with those who believe that the government should restrict purchases on junk food. My beliefs are a little more complex than that: I believe in educatio, not mandates. Let me explain. I don’t like the idea of people enrolled in SNAP spending money on unhealthy food choices. I personally don’t buy junk food, so I don’t like that government money (aka my tax dollars) goes towards helping others buy junk food.

That being said, I do NOT believe that we should tell people what they can and can not purchase/eat. They are adults and should have the freedom to buy what they want to eat, just like those not enrolled in SNAP can choose what to eat. That is one of the pros (and sometimes cons) of living in a free country with free choice. You are able to decide how you want to eat and no one can tell you otherwise. How unfair and hypocritical to not allow this same freedom to those who might not be able to afford to eat without the assistance of SNAP. Again, I firmly believe that every single person should have access to a healthy lifestyle, no matter socioeconomic status, race, religion, or gender.

I understand that not everyone in SNAP has access to healthy food. There are food deserts, areas that do no have access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food, all over the country. These areas usually have to rely on convenience stores or fast food restaurants for the bulk of their diet. I also know that forcing someone to eat healthy food when they don’t want to is a good way to turn them away from eating a healthy diet. I prefer my belief in educating people about healthy lifestyles. I think that we need to teach people how to live a healthy lifestyle with the tools and resources they have access to, because I am not into forcing people to do something, even if that is learning how to live healthier. I propose that those who enroll in SNAP take one mandatory class that shows the basics of living healthy. After that one class, they can go on their merry way and do whatever they want with their food decisions. After that one class though, SNAP should offer other classes and resources that people can choose to participate in and will help them further their knowledge of leading a healthy lifestyle. This way, you can give every single person in SNAP some tools to utilize through the one class, but then only those who are truly interested can further their knowledge with cooking classes or learning how to eat healthy on a budget or guided trips to local grocery stores.

Is this a perfect plan? Of course not. Obviously these classes would have to be funded in some way, and most likely that would mean through tax dollars. While everyone might not be so enthusiastic about their money going towards this, I would much rather have my money fund education than stocking convenience stores with more chips and soda. I think that this can be a step in the right direction and I also believe that there are groups and organizations out there that are making great strides towards bettering SNAP. SNAP to Health! is a great website that has tons of information about programs and resources and other tidbits about what people can do help further the health and nutrition of the USA. I urge you to check out the site and see what you can do in your area to help out. I know that promoting better health for all can seem like a losing battle. It takes a bunch of tiny steps that may not look like they are doing anything to help, but every little step counts. I believe that the more people we can educate and get on board with leading a healthier life, the faster we can reach the goal. Your health is one of your most important assets; fight for better health and fight to help others reach that very same goal!

Stir fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce

June 5, 2013January 29, 2016 / ktbuchs87

I love quick meals that taste really good, who doesn’t? This one comes together super fast and delivers quite a powerful taste punch. Yeah. Taste punch. I said it. So if you’re in the mood for a healthy and tasty Asian-inspired dish, try this one out!

Stir fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce

2-3 tbsp natural peanut butter (I used chunky for extra texture)
1/3 cup veggie broth
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use less if you don’t like spicy, more if you like the heat)
1 tbsp raw honey
2 teaspoon ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp soy sauce (I used Braggs Liquid Aminos, you can also use coconut aminos)
assorted stir fry veggies, broccoli/carrots/water chestnuts/cauliflower/sugar snap peas/bok choy
1 onion, diced
brown rice noodles, optional but delicious!

1. If using brown rice noodles, cook according to the package while you get everything else going

2. Combine peanut butter, veggie broth, red pepper flakes, honey, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Whisk together well and set aside

3. In a wok or large skillet, heat a little EVOO and stir fry your vegetables for about 7 to 10 minutes. You don’t want them to be mushy, but crisp.

4. Once your vegetables are cooked, add in your brown rice noodles and combine them with the vegetables. Pour your peanut sauce over this and stir well. Heat through for another 2 minutes. Serve it up and enjoy! This meal also makes some pretty awesome leftovers the next day, so make enough to enjoy it again!

Clean your plate… Kind of

June 3, 2013 / ktbuchs87

I am willing to bet that some of you (me included) have finished a meal even though you weren’t really hungry anymore. A lot of us have probably done this, as it’s really easy to just finish all the food on your plate even if you are already full. You might have heard about “starving children in Africa” and felt the need to finish a second helping of french fries for their sake (because that makes a lot of sense…). I would even go a step further and say that some of us don’t even recognize our own body’s signals for satiety, causing us to overeat at most of our meals.

This isn’t a new concept. In 2006, 6 of every 10 Americans said they ate more than they should. As a country, Americans know very well that they are overeating and that it is contributing to our ever-expanding waistlines and health problems. There have been countless studies and research that has gone into showing us that we are eating too much, but I think the more important question we need to address is when did we start overeating? I don’t mean as a nation, I mean you as an individual.

For the most part, you were not born eating too much food. In fact, if you look at children’s eating habits they are some of the best intuitive eaters. When they are hungry they will eat and when they are full they stop eating. If they don’t eat a huge lunch, they will usually eat more at dinner. They don’t obsess over certain foods or meal times. Trust me, they will let you know when they are hungry. I’ve worked as a nanny for the past two years and gotten to watch this first hand. It fascinates me how easy it is for a 2-year-old to grasp the concept of being full and being done with a meal. It doesn’t bother him if there are still five green beans left on his plate, or three graham cracker bunnies he didn’t eat. When he is done eating he is done eating and happily goes on with his day. Where did adults, the supposedly wiser and more sophisticated group, go wrong on this concept?

While there are many factors that contribute, one of the biggest influences is that of the parents, but I don’t think they are doing it on purpose. Most parents want their child to lead a healthy and happy life. They want to make sure that they are providing nutritious meals that will help their children grow. It can be really frustrating and even worrisome to have a child that seems to never eat. I know the struggle that can occur when you just want your kid to eat one bite of their meal because they haven’t eaten anything all day. But I also believe that sometimes parents need to be open to having their child guide their own eating habits. When parents stress over getting their children to eat, or force them to finish all their food on their plate, they could be setting their child up for future eating problems. Over time, if a child is cleaning his plate even though he is clearly not hungry, he will begin to lose that sense of satiety. He now knows that in order to be done with a meal, the plate needs to be empty, whether he is full or not.

Losing our sense of fullness can lead to other bad habits later on as well. Adam shared a study with me last week about teens not paying attention to how many calories they ate in a meal. While I am not a big supporter of religiously counting calories, it is interesting to see that most teens ignored the calorie count completely. I don’t know if there is a definite link between being aware of how much food you eat and our sense of fullness, but I think that they probably do affect each other. I know that there used to be many times I would be eating and I had no clue why. I wasn’t hungry, but somehow I was downing crackers like it was my business.

How do you regain your intuitive eating skills? It’s tough, but you can retrain your body to its childhood eating habits. Don’t expect the change to happen overnight and don’t expect to be perfect all the time. There will be days that you slip up and that is totally ok, just move on and do better next time. These are a few of the tips that I use to help me really tune in to my body’s signals.

Make sure you’re actually hungry. When you get the urge to grab a bag of chips or chow down on a huge meal, pause for just a second. Ask yourself a few questions, when was the last time I ate? Am I really hungry or am I bored/sad/depressed/around a bunch of other people eating? Will I feel better about myself after eating this meal or will I look back with regret? Once you answer those questions, you can better decide if you are actually hungry and ready to eat a meal. To take this a step further, drink a glass of water before you eat anything. Many times, we misread thirsty signals as hunger signals and immediately dive into a snack.

S L O W D O W N. When you are eating a meal, take your time. This can be a key factor in reading your “I’m full” signal. Sometimes we have a tendency to rush through a meal in ten minutes and not realize we had way more to eat than we really wanted or needed. Take a few bites, put your fork down, sip some water, and enjoy the flavor of your food. By giving your body those few extra minutes in between bites, you are letting it register the food you have already eaten and allowing you to know when you are full, before your plate is totally clean. Also, eat until you are pleasantly full, not bursting at the seams. No one likes that feeling of your waistband cutting in to your stomach after a huge chow fest.

Eat foods that will fill you up. You’re probably thinking, “Uh, Katie? Any food can fill me up.” Let me be a bit more specific. Choose foods that have a low density of calories, but high quantity.

400 calories of oil, from say your fried mozzarella sticks, will not fill you up as much as 400 calories of salad. You won’t feel full from that 400 calories of oil, so you’ll continue to eat until you do feel full, possibly taking in more food than your body really wants or needs. I am not saying that you have to ONLY eat vegetables in order to know when you’re full. What I am saying is that you need to choose foods that will fill you in the healthiest way. Including vegetables in your dinner of grilled chicken and brown rice is a very easy way to add bulk that won’t bulk you up.

Be patient, and kind, with yourself. Like I said before, it isn’t easy to retrain the way you eat or tune into your body. Don’t get frustrated if you slip up more than once. Realize that this is a process and it is OK to have setbacks, you’re human, not Superman. Just make sure that your slip ups don’t make you abandon everything and fall back into your old habits. Acknowledge that you had a setback and move on, vowing to make your next choice healthier. Constantly beating yourself up will not help you get to a healthier state.

Remember, we all started out as some of the best intuitive eaters out there. One way or another you might have lost that sense, but you CAN gain it back. I think that a lot of eating problems begin with our lack of awareness of our own bodies, at least that has been the case for me. Just because someone puts food on your plate, does not mean you absolutely have to eat all of it. I promise that eating every single scrap of food on your plate just because it’s there will never lead to a feeling of satisfaction. Knowing you have eaten exactly what you needed and the exact amount your body required will make you feel much happier and healthier!

Curried Quinoa Salad

May 30, 2013 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I made this meal because it was something that could be made ahead of time and it travels well. Both important things because the weekend that we had this, we were staying at my parents house to watch their dogs before we went to my sister’s graduation. It was also really warm that weekend and this salad hit the spot! Hope you enjoy!

Curried Quinoa Salad

1 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 1/3 cups quinoa
3 cups water
1/2 cup veggie broth
1/2 an onion, diced
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 handful of spinach, chopped
Pepper

1. Add all ingredients through veggie broth into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit covered for another 10 minutes.

2. Once your quinoa is done, add in the onion, vinegar, maple syrup, spinach, and pepper to taste. Mix everything well. You can serve right away, but it tastes even better after you have let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so. You can also add in other things if you wanted. Carrots or chopped nuts would also be delicious!

Tomorrow I will be posting again (amazing? I know). I participated in Foodie Penpals through theleangreenbean. So check back tomorrow to learn what that is all about!

Unique

May 20, 2013 / ktbuchs87

I am going to bet good money that you have been told at some point in your life that you are a unique and special individual, that there is no one else just like you. It’s a message that we hear a lot, we’re all individuals and we should embrace our own quirks and personalities. I think it’s a good message and I’m not writing today to bash sentiment, but rather extend it to other parts of our life, mainly eating (go figure).

It’s no secret that my big mantra for healthy eating/living is what works for me might not work for you. I have talked about it before, but more and more I think it is a message that we need to hear again. It seems that every day a new study comes out touting that a new diet is THE way to eat. More recently the Mediterranean diet has been in the news and folks are jumping on that eating bandwagon. I’ve fallen victim to diet hype many times, so I know how tempting it can be to start a new diet craze. We get drawn in by the people who have had amazing results (lost weight, have more energy, can do 1,00 push-ups in a minute etc.), the scientific studies proving that this diet is effective, and the doctors/nutritionist/celebrities representing the diet. Marketing people know how to parade their product/idea to get consumers to buy, that’s their job.

I’m not here to bash these diets either, although there are some fairly terrible ones out there that no one should touch with a ten-foot pole (cabbage soup diet anyone?). In fact I believe that these diets can be successful, but not for every single person. There is no possible way that one diet can meet the needs of the billions of people on this planet, and you know what? That is totally ok! For some reason, people tend to think that if everyone else is eating a certain way, they need to do that too. Take gluten-free diets. The number of people who have Celiac’s Disease (meaning they literally can NOT have any form of gluten) is about 1.8 million, with 1.4 million people out there undiagnosed. The number of people who are following a gluten-free diet? 1.6 million. Gluten-free has become a fad diet that people think will make them healthier, but there are a good number of people out there who have no need to follow a gluten free diet. It can actually cause them more harm than good, mainly because their body doesn’t NEED to avoid gluten.

What we really need to start pushing in terms of healthy eating and living is that it is a unique journey. Just like you yourself are a special individual, your body is a special individual as well. For me, I do well and thrive on a diet of whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and no processed food, preservatives, chemicals, gluten or dairy. Through trial and error I have found a way of eating that give my body the nutrients it needs to perform well. I would never say that every single person needs to eat the way that I do though. Case in point: My parents came over for dinner last weekend and I made sloppy joes with lentils instead of meat. Now my father is a meat eater, always has been. I think that if possible he would just munch on cow all day every day. That is fine and that is what works for him. He was receptive to my vegan sloppy joes and even said they tasted great, but they did not agree with him later on. He has a digestive system that thrives on eating meat and feels his best eating that way.

What do you do though to find your happy diet? Try. Yes, this seems like really stupid advice, but it’s the best way to find what will work. My best suggestion would be to do some research on a few different diets that interest you. Say you feel drawn to eating less meat, look into vegan and/or vegetarian diets. Once you have educated yourself on the basic principles of whatever eating lifestyle, start implementing those into your diet. When you have been eating a certain way for awhile, assess your health. How do you feel? Do you notice improvements in your life like more energy, better skin, healthier bowel movements (of course I am going to mention poop!)? Or do you feel the same or worse than before? If you feel better continue eating that way, and if not start the process over again or make some adjustments. I want to stress though how important it is to stick with a certain diet for a good amount of time before switching. You won’t be able to really assess your health after only a week of eating a new way. It could take up to a few months to really start seeing the benefits. Give your body some time to adjust and then evaluate your situation. Yes, this can be a long process and may seem tedious, but your health is worth it in the end.

Now bear in mind, I am not giving you license to justify junk eating by saying this is the diet that allows you to thrive. I still believe that eating whole and real foods like fresh vegetables and grass-fed humanely raised meat are much better for everyone than processed or packaged food. My main point is that we need to stop worrying about what our friends and neighbors are eating and start focusing more on what makes us feel great. For some that might be a mostly Paleo diet, others might do well on a vegetarian or vegan diet, still others might thrive eating gluten-free. It’s all about finding your perfect balance and not being nervous to step outside of the diet of the moment. I understand it can be difficult for some of us to go against the grain, I still get a little anxious about listing all of the things I don’t eat. I worry that I will be a hassle to others or they might think I’m just trying to get attention or that I am not eating the right way. But the longer I have eaten this way and been more open about it, I’ve realized I value the amazing way I feel rather than what others think about my eating habits. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what makes you feel the healthiest, because in the end that is what matters the most!

In other news, my little sister graduated from Valparaiso yesterday! I am so proud of all she has accomplished and can’t wait to see what she will do next! Congratulations to all graduates out there!