Alright I'm assuming everyone is doing great with last weeks challenge since I have not heard any of you complain or ask me questions! ;) Alright I'm sure you have all pretty much written me off after that thinking oh whatever she is just nuts! I sincerely hope some of you will trust me on this and at least give all these steps a try and do your best at them for a LEAST the last 5 weeks! Common ANYBODY can do something for that long. I know if you honestly try you will be so glad you did! Don't worry you won't become a crazy health nut like me! You will just move to a different level of health and give yourself more options on how healthy you would like to see your diet!
This week you will want to add......
WHOLE GRAINS
Many people today are suffering from gluten intolerance, wheat allergies or sensitivities and related health conditions such as indigestion, lethargy, and headaches. A primary cause of many of these health conditions stems from continued over-consumption of refined grains.
Just to illustrate a little about what refined grains are like. Say I come over to your house and we are going to clean! I take everything you own but I tell you not to worry because will get plenty back. Then I give you back one of your outfits and say the cushions from your couch. Would you be okay with that deal? That is pretty much what happens when you use refined grains (ie. white bread and pastas etc.) Refined grains lack many essential nutrients because of the removal of the nutrient-dense bran and germ during processing. Of course they do put a few nutrients back in, but you weren't happy with just your couch cushions were you? So why are you happy with your white bread with most of the nutrients stolen out of it? Also refined grains don't contain ANY fiber and tend to just stick like glue in your system. Ever make paper mache using white flour? Well then you know what I mean!
Now since there are a lot of whole grain products available these days this should not be a hard thing to do. Of course you want to be careful that it also doesn't contain the ingredients you have tossed from last weeks challenge. I have seen and used lots of whole grain pastas in the store. If you want to make your own bread I love this recipe. And if you don't have your own wheat grinder come on over and I will grind you some! (I seriously mean that I have done it for lots of people I totally DO NOT mind! ANY TIME!) If you have been thinking about getting one it's a great investment this is my favorite kind but there are others out there for less that will get the job done.
Now Remember whole grains are NOT limited to whole wheat there are many grains out there that are super good for you when eaten in their WHOLE state! Barley, Quinoa, Amaranth, Brown Rice, Oats, etc. I have a paper that overviews grains if you would like me to email you a copy of it just let me know I would be happy too. If you have ANY questions feel free to ask most whole grains are easy to use and quick to fix!
My blog has cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls, granola and all sorts of tasty things that use whole grains. I promise you won't feel deprived. (Although if you are not used to eating ANY whole grains be forewarned that you WILL have a few cleansing symptoms. But that is actually a good thing. If you would like to know what those would be you can come ask me I'll be happy to share! ;) And like I said you can even get lots of whole grain breads and cereals from the store now just be sure to read those ingredients!
Just to illustrate a little about what refined grains are like. Say I come over to your house and we are going to clean! I take everything you own but I tell you not to worry because will get plenty back. Then I give you back one of your outfits and say the cushions from your couch. Would you be okay with that deal? That is pretty much what happens when you use refined grains (ie. white bread and pastas etc.) Refined grains lack many essential nutrients because of the removal of the nutrient-dense bran and germ during processing. Of course they do put a few nutrients back in, but you weren't happy with just your couch cushions were you? So why are you happy with your white bread with most of the nutrients stolen out of it? Also refined grains don't contain ANY fiber and tend to just stick like glue in your system. Ever make paper mache using white flour? Well then you know what I mean!
Now since there are a lot of whole grain products available these days this should not be a hard thing to do. Of course you want to be careful that it also doesn't contain the ingredients you have tossed from last weeks challenge. I have seen and used lots of whole grain pastas in the store. If you want to make your own bread I love this recipe. And if you don't have your own wheat grinder come on over and I will grind you some! (I seriously mean that I have done it for lots of people I totally DO NOT mind! ANY TIME!) If you have been thinking about getting one it's a great investment this is my favorite kind but there are others out there for less that will get the job done.
Now Remember whole grains are NOT limited to whole wheat there are many grains out there that are super good for you when eaten in their WHOLE state! Barley, Quinoa, Amaranth, Brown Rice, Oats, etc. I have a paper that overviews grains if you would like me to email you a copy of it just let me know I would be happy too. If you have ANY questions feel free to ask most whole grains are easy to use and quick to fix!
My blog has cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls, granola and all sorts of tasty things that use whole grains. I promise you won't feel deprived. (Although if you are not used to eating ANY whole grains be forewarned that you WILL have a few cleansing symptoms. But that is actually a good thing. If you would like to know what those would be you can come ask me I'll be happy to share! ;) And like I said you can even get lots of whole grain breads and cereals from the store now just be sure to read those ingredients!
So since you wouldn't want to get back only part of your stuff let's make sure and not eat only part nutrition either! Make sure you get your
WHOLE GRAINS!
I love those whole grains, its amazing how dull and lifeless refined white flour bread now seems. OK, you've got me craving those whole wheat cinnamon rolls. Maybe I'll whip up a batch this afternoon. Yummm. Sure do love ya, Mom
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying your weekly challenges and trying to share them with others. Thanks for the info. Those excitotoxings are quite the education.
ReplyDeleteI grew up on home-made whole wheat bread, and love it, but your recipe is now the one that I use all the time. In fact, my family won't even eat store-bought wheat bread anymore! :)
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know- my husband made your carrot cake for my birthday and it was AMAZING. We loved it, it didn't need frosting or anything.
ReplyDeleteI can testify about what you say about indigestion etc. Once we switched over to whole grains and then cheat a little when we are out and I can't find anything "healthy" I feel a whole lot different, my body is adjusted now to whole grains instead of the other way around.
ReplyDeleteCan you use store boughten whole wheat for your bread recipe?
ReplyDeleteLiz: Are you talking about store bought whole wheat flour? If so yes you can. But freshly ground ALWAYS makes better lighter bread and it has more nutrients. But the whole wheat flour at the store should still be better then the white because it will contain some fiber. If you don't have a way to grind your own wheat buying whole wheat flour is a better option then the white bleached flour in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteTammy, my question is at the very bottom of this, so you can just skim this whole thing till you see the ? mark..
ReplyDeleteAbout this step, and in sensitivity to the Standard American Diet, growing up as a kid, when my mom got white bread, we all thought of it as a treat. As soon as I was out of the home I realized I actually liked wheat better! And always bought 100% wheat bread, not the trickster kind that is actually bleached whole wheat.
BUT I still didn't like the taste of whole wheat pasta, my mom had always mixed white with 50/50 with wheat (when she was in healthy moods) and I think this is better still than 100% white.
GOOD NEWS, is our taste can progress. I recently made a noodle recipe and I made it with 100% wheat, from the Food Nanny's homemade noodle recipe, and I LOVED IT! I loved the nutty wholesome taste! Normally I had been substituting half and half with white flour and wheat.
SO those of you out there thinking you don't like whole wheat taste, baby step it with you and your family. Even if it takes a month, a year, a couple years, if you keep stepping, you will get there! And that goes for me, I can start using whole wheat in treats and go from 50/50 till we're at 100% and still love it! (Right now the 50/50 is a step for me)
Also I am going to start buying wheat pasta, I've never done that before so
?? for Tammy is, do you just buy your wheat pastas at a health food store or is there a bulk spot you order from that is cheaper, like Azure Standard?
Emily: What do you mean I can just skip to the question. I love reading your experiences! Thank you so much for sharing. I know it will help others who feel similar.
ReplyDeleteI have found a organic whole wheat spaghetti that some Costco's sell. My local one actually doesn't so we buy a bunch of it when we are at the one further from our house. ;)
Azure is a good place to get whole grain pasta. I too like the nutty wheat flavor but for those that don't Spelt pasta seems to be a better alternative although more expensive. It's really good though! Azure also sells that. Mostly though since we don't do as much pasta as we used too. Again the cravings became much less funny huh. I just get the whole wheat kind in the small boxes at Wal-Mart. We only do pasta now about 2 maybe 3 times a month. We used to have like 2 or 3 times a WEEK! ;)
Thank you Tammy. :) :) Costco is good to know, for stocking up on some spaghetti for food storage. And good old Wal-Mart, thats simple enough. :)
ReplyDelete