Well part of my New Years resolutions was to make some dietary changes (if not to be more punctual.) My last check up revealed slightly high blood pressure and a weight level that I was not pleased with. The doctors of course always want to put you on the newest and greatest drug, and while I am not a CHristian Scientist I have been paying attention these past years. There will be the new miracle drug Fradjalyn out, prescribed for everything from high blood pressure to hair loss and two years later Jacoby and Ambulancechaser will be running ads asking if you took the stuff and offering cash and prizes if you had amputations or died.
So I decided to finally take the bull by the bok choy and make some changes.
I had been making smoothies on and off for a while since I got on sale one of those blenders that wil mix a Buick into a frothy treat. So in the AM I have been throwing all those dreaded green things (like bok choy, kale, green beans and celery) into beets, frozen fruit, ginger juice, flax and fresh garlic. (yes, garlic.) I have also made a point to actually cook my dinner at home and have at least two separate vegetables in there, and no I don’t count potatoes.
I am surprising myself by actually enjoying the smoothie. The more raspy ingredients are easily smoothed out by the cooler ones, and I am learning something I forgot: I am a darned good cook. I stopped doing it years ago because it seemed like too much of a pain to do it for one; it was easier to pop something in the microwave. But if I make it myself it has less crap chemicals in it and having cooked it I find myself eating less of it; the act of cooking is (almost) satiation enough.
Now I just have to convince myself that a celery smoothie before bed is so much better than a piece of chocolate. I’ll let you know how that works out..
So have you kept up with your resolutions? Let’s talk in the comments. Image: Internets.
A square of dark chocolate (70% or above) is very good for you! So have your healthy meal and your chocolate.
Congratulations! I am terrified of taking most any pill other than Vitamin D and an occasional Borage Oil (when my hormones are so out of whack that I fear the SWAT team at my door). Living at the back of beyond means I have to make 95% of all our food and I was raised as a scratch-cook so that means whole foods. The upside of the back of beyond is that I can grow a goodly amount of our veg (and our meat is from a farm just outside of town) – it really does make a difference!
And you can haz a piece of chocolate at night, for real. A small piece – it’s good for you!
xoxoxo
85% or higher dark chocolate. once you start eating it milk choc begins to taste of sugar rather than chocolate.
Agree!
Good for you, Tom! As one who shudders even at the word “kale” [shudder], I congratulated myself for passing by the candy bars in the checkout line this morning. As one who needs to get on the natch, so to speak, I confess that I am already very biased in the case of celery smoothie v. chocolate, but remain interested in how that turns out.
Congratulations Tom on your positive changes! I completely agree regarding medications and side effects. The “magic pill” for health is often a healthy diet full of natural foods from the earth, avoiding anything processed,man-made, “food-like,” and moving the body (exercise, whatever that means to everyone). Nourishing food is such a pleasure!
There comes a point in everyone’s life where we have to choose between changing our diet or swallowing pills. I choose healthy food. It takes more time to prepare a good healthy meal than swallow a pill but there are no risks and side effects, so…I think you’ve made a great choice!
I have decided to take at least 20 minutes a day for a meditation or sitting in a quiet place listening to what my body and mind have to tell me. I didn’t manage to do it on a daily basis but I’ll keep trying. I’m sure it’s worth it.
Thanks! Meditation is next on the list. I have trouble sleeping since I can’t seen to turn my brain off at bedtime. I am hoping meditation can help/