Food - Name Your Poison

[elte]

I went back and changed the concept to slightly undernourished rather than slightly malnourished.   I think it has to be very slight, though, like getting all essential nutrients while trying to keep calorie intake low.  I want to do it much better than I presently do it, but instead I still feel that I eat too much, even though I'm not heavy at all.

I vaguely remember from years ago a pop-news lifestyle segment about a man either approaching a century in age or already beyond that, who had switched some decades before to eating little more than a single meal a day of milk and toast. (Actually it was probably something a little more than that or perhaps entirely different, but "milk / toast" is all my memory coughs-up when I try to recover those particular details.)

I also recall the studies on calorie restriction (CR) which utilized rats and mice and then extrapolated the theory to humans and was popular for quite a while.

Caloric restriction increases metabolic stability. An organism's metabolic stability, he argues, is determined by its evolutionary history, so researchers can predict what the metabolic stability of a species will be if its history is known — and hence predict just how much CR might extend its life.

Mice and rats, for example, are "opportunistic species," says Demetrius. They experience periods of relative food abundance punctuated by prolonged periods of scarcity, and therefore undergo episodes of rapid, exponential population growth followed by periods of decline. Such species are characterized by early sexual maturity, a narrow reproductive span, and large litter size, all traits reflecting a survival strategy for coping with feast-or-famine circumstances. Humans, on the other hand, are what Demetrius calls an "equilibrium species." "Evolution has tended to modify our life history so that we mature late sexually, have fewer offspring, and spread our reproductive activity over a long period," he explains. Experiments have shown that human cells are much more resistant to the effects of stressors than the cells of rodents are: they are inherently more stable, more able to resist random perturbations of cellular homeostasis.

http://harvardmagazine.com/2004/11/a-new...gevit.html

That theory has pretty much been displaced in favor of being active and mindful of a healthy lifestyle with genetics, personality and social inclusion now recognized as being of influence also. The science of longevity is quite fascinating and continues to evolve.

In The Longevity Project, one of the largest studies if its kind that spanned eight decades, Stanford researchers Howard S. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin found that conscientiousness beat out all other personality type when it comes to life expectancy. “The qualities of a prudent, persistant, well-organized person, like a scientist-professor — somewhat obsessive and not at all carefree” are the qualities that help lead to a long life. “Many of us assume that more relaxed people live longer, but it’s not necessarily the case.” Why? Conscientious behavior influences other behaviors. Conscientious people tend to make healthier choices, including who they marry, where they work, and the likelihood they’ll smoke, drive too fast, or follow doctors’ orders.

http://time.com/81573/how-to-live-longer/

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Eggs, bacon and toast in the morning.  Rarely lunch.  Dinner can be anything from pizza, hamburgers, chicken, or frozen lasagna.  My wife keeps a good assortment of fruit in the kitchen.

Breakfast has long been recognized as the most important meal of the day for maintaining energy levels and a constant body weight. Fruit is a healthy snack for most people though some have to be cognizant of the glycemic index of some fruits as well as the glycemic load. A good article and chart at the following link.

 http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-a..._100_foods

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White flesh peaches are a seasonal favorite of mind. So juicy you have to eat it with a napkin.

The last really tasty peach I had was on a trip to BC to pick up a horse trailer in 1997. Seriously. They were from a roadside stand and picked at the peak of perfection.
In order to travel two or three days up the highway and have several days to a week of shelf life, most soft fruits have to be picked quite short of ripe.

We actually fly certain varieties of cherries up to our store from BC and sell them at cost to our customers. Such interventions maintain our reputation for having the best produce
not only in town but in the territory.

I look at it these days in relative terms in regards to calorie restriction.  That info about the metabolic physiology difference between humans and mice makes sense, though.  But these days, slightly overeating can be considered calorie restriction, in relative sense, because of the plentifulness of food and eating, in in modern times here in the USA, which is overall a good thing, though.

I want to eat plenty fresh produce, and do, but getting the discount deals on a variety of items often leaves me with portions bigger than I think is optimal so that I can finish it before freshness is lost.  That is largely because I don't have help finishing stuff and am only serving one (myself).  So to have variety tends to leave me eating too much of each thing, for example, if it is cauliflower from a whole  head (crown).  I lack the best refrigeration and kitchen facilities, too, and can't really fix that situation here.

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In The Longevity Project, one of the largest studies if its kind that spanned eight decades, Stanford researchers Howard S. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin found that conscientiousness beat out all other personality type when it comes to life expectancy. “The qualities of a prudent, persistant, well-organized person, like a scientist-professor — somewhat obsessive and not at all carefree” are the qualities that help lead to a long life. “Many of us assume that more relaxed people live longer, but it’s not necessarily the case.” Why? Conscientious behavior influences other behaviors. Conscientious people tend to make healthier choices, including who they marry, where they work, and the likelihood they’ll smoke, drive too fast, or follow doctors’ orders.

http://time.com/81573/how-to-live-longer/

Unfortunately, or maybe not in a way just because it's the way I and things are, I live mostly a solitary life because there isn't really anyone who has interests similar to mine around here in real life.   I think too differently from most people, too.  So practically speaking, I have no real friends in physical proximity real life.  At least the neighbors try to be nice though.

[scheherazade]

I look at it these days in relative terms in regards to calorie restriction.  That info about the metabolic physiology difference between humans and mice makes sense, though.  But these days, slightly overeating can be considered calorie restriction, in relative sense, because of the plentifulness of food and eating, in in modern times here in the USA, which is overall a good thing, though.

I want to eat plenty fresh produce, and do, but getting the discount deals on a variety of items often leaves me with portions bigger than I think is optimal so that I can finish it before freshness is lost.  That is largely because I don't have help finishing stuff and am only serving one (myself).  So to have variety tends to leave me eating too much of each thing, for example, if it is cauliflower from a whole  head (crown).  I lack the best refrigeration and kitchen facilities, too, and can't really fix that situation here.

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In The Longevity Project, one of the largest studies if its kind that spanned eight decades, Stanford researchers Howard S. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin found that conscientiousness beat out all other personality type when it comes to life expectancy. “The qualities of a prudent, persistant, well-organized person, like a scientist-professor — somewhat obsessive and not at all carefree” are the qualities that help lead to a long life. “Many of us assume that more relaxed people live longer, but it’s not necessarily the case.” Why? Conscientious behavior influences other behaviors. Conscientious people tend to make healthier choices, including who they marry, where they work, and the likelihood they’ll smoke, drive too fast, or follow doctors’ orders.

http://time.com/81573/how-to-live-longer/

Unfortunately, or maybe not in a way just because it's the way I and things are, I live mostly a solitary life because there isn't really anyone who has interests similar to mine around here in real life.   I think too differently from most people, too.  So practically speaking, I have no real friends in physical proximity real life.  At least the neighbors try to be nice though.

I am in the same situation, shopping and cooking for one, but I do have a fridge with a 4 cubic foot freezer compartment. As I work in a grocery store, I can keep an eye out for deals and  also buy in smaller portions because our store offers many veggies in loose form, a few sticks of celery, individual carrots and other veggies at almost identical to larger packaging prices.

With my schedule, I do not have a lot of time in the company of other people either and I am rather a loner by nature, preferring critters to most people. The advent of technology and forums such as these have provided some excellent stimulation and support in my own experience and observation. Where the mind goes, the body relates so even with considerable geography separating folks, there is a lot of positive energy, intellect and emotion to draw from. I rather expect that science will eventually be able to measure the actual benefit of virtual relationships and compare them with same space relationships. I perceive forum friendships as being a greater return for one's energy investment on many levels though I will acknowledge that their is nothing to compare with the energy that can be transferred by a face to face smile or a hug. Still, we are only alone and lonely if that is our choice in today's world.

[elte]

I like being solitary though often it would be nice to have someone in physical proximity whereby just a little good deed done by them is a great help to me, and me for them similarly.  Like I have an electric lawnmower that can do my tiny yard and reach my neighbor's tiny yard also.  He doesn't have a lawnmower, so several minutes extra cutting by me is a great help to him. You're on my buddy list now.   My critters here are my special gang of free roaming cellar spiders.  They are adorable, almost completely self sufficient companions for me who have always been completely harmless to me.

Two foods I like a lot are the natural, only peanut, peanut butter, the store brand that has just a touch of added salt, too.  That and fresh brocolli, but only together with the peanut butter.  A teaspoon of the peanut butter (crunchy type of peanut butter is good for this), immediately met with a big bite from a fresh brocolli crown.  Then take time to chew them well, and then repeat.  I don't ever stir my such jars of peanut butter either.

[scheherazade]

I like being solitary though often it would be nice to have someone in physical proximity whereby just a little good deed done by them is a great help to me, and me for them similarly.  Like I have an electric lawnmower that can do my tiny yard and reach my neighbor's tiny yard also.  He doesn't have a lawnmower, so several minutes extra cutting by me is a great help to him.  You're on my buddy list now.   My critters here are my special gang of free roaming cellar spiders.  They are adorable, almost completely self sufficient companions for me who have always been completely harmless to me.

Two foods I like a lot are the natural, only peanut, peanut butter, the store brand that has just a touch of added salt, too.  That and fresh brocolli, but only together with the peanut butter.  A teaspoon of the peanut butter (crunchy type of peanut butter is good for this), immediately met with a big bite from a fresh brocolli crown.  Then take time to chew them well, and then repeat.  I don't ever stir my such jars of peanut butter either.

I thought that I was in the minority, cohabiting with spiders, lol. I allow them to remain as long as they keep their webs in unobtrusive places and away from the cooking, eating and sleeping areas. I once stayed in a motel room for 5 nights and there was a wee spider that lived behind the bathroom door. We managed not to worry each other during my stay and it was a good gauge for me that the housekeeping was more than a bit lax considering it was a high end facility in a resort town. Thankfully my union was picking up the tab as it was an educational trip.

All natural peanut butter is my favorite too, though I do stir it especially for use in baking. I like apple slices dipped in PB as a snack, even celery sticks but I would have never thought of broccoli. Now I am going to have to try it as I have some florets in my fridge right now so perhaps that is what I will take for my night lunch this shift. Great idea! I can see that this thread has a lot of potential for interesting and informative dialogue, including new menu options.

[elte]

I like being solitary though often it would be nice to have someone in physical proximity whereby just a little good deed done by them is a great help to me, and me for them similarly.  Like I have an electric lawnmower that can do my tiny yard and reach my neighbor's tiny yard also.  He doesn't have a lawnmower, so several minutes extra cutting by me is a great help to him.  You're on my buddy list now.   My critters here are my special gang of free roaming cellar spiders.  They are adorable, almost completely self sufficient companions for me who have always been completely harmless to me.

Two foods I like a lot are the natural, only peanut, peanut butter, the store brand that has just a touch of added salt, too.  That and fresh brocolli, but only together with the peanut butter.  A teaspoon of the peanut butter (crunchy type of peanut butter is good for this), immediately met with a big bite from a fresh brocolli crown.  Then take time to chew them well, and then repeat.  I don't ever stir my such jars of peanut butter either.

I thought that I was in the minority, cohabiting with spiders, lol. I allow them to remain as long as they keep their webs in unobtrusive places and away from the cooking, eating and sleeping areas. I once stayed in a motel room for 5 nights and there was a wee spider that lived behind the bathroom door. We managed not to worry each other during my stay and it was a good gauge for me that the housekeeping was more than a bit lax considering it was a high end facility in a resort town. Thankfully my union was picking up the tab as it was an educational trip.

All natural peanut butter is my favorite too, though I do stir it especially for use in baking. I like apple slices dipped in PB as a snack, even celery sticks but I would have never thought of broccoli. Now I am going to have to try it as I have some florets in my fridge right now so perhaps that is what I will take for my night lunch this shift. Great idea! I can see that this thread has a lot of potential for interesting and informative dialogue, including new menu options.

Maybe the housekeeper at the hotel also has a soft spot for tiny spiders and couldn't help letting it be lol.

The apple and the natural peanut butter is something that I would like to try when I get more apples later during the apple season.  I had thought of the classic celery and natural peanut butter combo in comparison to the brocolli and natural peanut butter, and feel that the former pairing with celery tastes bad compared to the latter one with brocolli.  But that could be because my taste buds are weird or something.  I hope you like the new pairing though!  I like it so much that I have been eating them together like that every day now for about a year, since the idea occurred to me.  I also have found that certain mild pickings of turnip tops (greens), but only if they happen to be very mild and not spicy or hot, also go well in raw form, like how the brocolli has to be raw, with the natural peanut butter. Thanks about my input, and I am liking your thread!

[scheherazade]

This has been the most prolific season for raspberries in my memory. I have a small patch here of canes that are of a very old variety, Chieftain, if I recall correctly, and they were transplanted from my Mother's patch about 20 years ago. I give them some berry food most years and pull out the dead canes and weeds and water if it is very dry but generally get a decent crop for very little effort. They are quite a small berry but fairly tasty and they fruit in summer through to frost.

My gentleman has a small patch of an unknown variety that came with his house and grow beside the driveway supported by the fence. He literally had to tie them up as some canes topped six feet in height this year. The size of the berries is huge and very prolific so we have frozen many cookie sheets full and bagged them for later use. I have been making raspberry sauce and eating them fresh and still they are getting ahead of me so today I decided to make an apple raspberry cobbler to use up about 1 1/2 quarts of berries in one swoop. The lessor amount of flour is healthier than making cakes and muffins or pies and it is almost ready to come out the oven for it's photo op. The season is almost over so this small problem will be done with but it is a nice problem to have compared to a shortage.

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Okay, it is out of the oven and looks and smells pretty good from my perspective. I have tasked the gentleman with providing a topping of choice as the proper accompaniment.

[Image: jkX-WfqsVyerO2XxeWdZo73zRfJHXrroNtGn9bl8...WG=s902-no]

[elte]

That's cool how such berry types grow well up there.  My brother has some blackberry bushes down here.    I see the little wild strawberries here that I have heard that some people pick.  I used to go out on my bicycle and make rounds to the local mulberry trees when they had ripened.  That rasberry cobbler looks very yummy.  I do relatively small amounts of baking in terms of actual reciped items, tending to just throw things together for convenience or based on a hunch.  One seemingly unusual practice of mine is not use added sugar or oil.  That is partly due to my tendency toward diabetes, where I feel it is important to keep easy access calories at a reduced levels as much as I can.

[scheherazade]

That's cool how such berry types grow well up there.  My brother has some blackberry bushes down here.    I see the little wild strawberries here that I have heard that some people pick.  I used to go out on my bicycle and make rounds to the local mulberry trees when they had ripened.  That rasberry cobbler looks very yummy.  I do relatively small amounts of baking in terms of actual reciped items, tending to just throw things together for convenience or based on a hunch.  One seemingly unusual practice of mine is not use added sugar or oil.  That is partly due to my tendency toward diabetes, where I feel it is important to keep easy access calories at a reduced levels as much as I can.

Wild strawberries are a real treat but so tiny and quite sparse where I live. I have been known to tie up my horse and stop to pick the few that grow along my riding trails. Many years the blooms do not set fruit if we do not get sufficient rain. The season will soon be upon us for low bush cranberries, also known as lingonberry, and they also look to be plentiful this year. I note also that the rose hips are fat this year and I have some in my own yard so I may pick some to make rose hip jelly as my gentleman does enjoy  bit of jam or jelly on toast on occasion. 

You are wise to be cautious of excess sugar and flour in your diet. I used to do a lot of baking including bread and all sorts of desserts, but I have greatly reduced the amount of flour in my diet and only use organic flour now to avoid amylase and other additives. Pasta is also a rarity and I buy pasta from Europe where GMO ingredients are more strictly regulated and glyphosate is not allowed.

[elte]

I wasn't aware that those little wild strawberries are sweet rather than sour.  I usually think of wild varieties of fruits, that we have domesticated versions of, as bitter or sour.

I have been eating split peas daily for a few years so far.  During about a third of that time I have been adding a bit Ascophyllum Nodosum sea kelp to them.

[scheherazade]

I wasn't aware that those little wild strawberries are sweet rather than sour.  I usually think of wild varieties of fruits, that we have domesticated versions of, as bitter or sour.

I have been eating split peas daily for a few years so far.  During about a third of that time I have been adding a bit Ascophyllum Nodosum sea kelp to them.

Like any strawberry, some are sweeter than others but if you pick them at the peak of ripeness on a dry, sunny afternoon...you will be speechless that so much flavor could reside in something so tiny.

Split peas are an incredibly good source of fiber and pea protein is utilized in a huge number of meal replacements and protein supplements especially those formulated for vegans.
Do you have some recipes that you are willing to share regarding how you prepare your split peas and what elements you season them with?   Perhaps you can tell me a bit more about the sea kelp and why you enjoy it.

We sell plenty of seaweed products in our store but I have not found myself drawn to them as yet. I think the images of how much pollution is in our oceans may be an off-putting factor for me. I also am not interested in eating farmed fish that have been raised in containment and fed processed kibble. (We have a fish farm locally and I was co-chair of the Fish and Wildlife Management Board through countless debates of the potential of impacting our wild fish species through the run-off water from such establishments.)