Today my good food choice was...

Momine

Another alternative to mayo is variations on pesto. It it s easy to make with a handheld blender. One of  my faves is just parsley (lot), walnuts, lemon juice and olive oil. It will keep several days in the fridge, and is great on fish as well.

CorinneM1

SAB--too funny.  I picked up Anti-cancer this morning and read the chapter on sugar while drying my hair.  That will shut that naughty inner witch's pie hole for awhile.

Momine

"SAB--too funny.  I picked up Anti-cancer this morning and read the chapter on sugar"

Does sugar include all sugars or only refined sugar? If so, what is supposed to make the difference and/or what is the no-sugar thing based on? 

Kay_G

Geez I read anti cancer a couple of months ago. You'd think it was 20 years ago, I am having trouble remembering the sugar part. I do remember it was bad, but am forgetting the why. Can someone help me out? I do remember it was not only sugar but also white flour that he suggests to eliminate or at least cut down on. I don't think there was much difference between the two as far as the author was concerned. I can remember the reasoning on organic fruits and veggies and organic meat, but not sugar. Dang chemo brain!



Had some blue berries and spinach salad for lunch. Had egg beaters and whole wheat toast for breakfast.

CorinneM1

The suggestion is :  "People who want to protect themselves from cancer should reduce their consumption of processed sugar and bleached flour. That means getting used to drinking coffee without sugar, avoiding sugary snacks between meals and cutting down on puddings"

Its based upon the finding that: "The metabolism of malignant tumors is largely dependent on glucose consumption"

Momine

OK, thanks. I guess other sugars, honey, for example, would be bad too then, or do you know how that works?

sagina

Momine~I understand the sugar thing just like Corinne said, my doc said over abundance of sugar in your system - rapidly dividing cells (cancer) feed off of that.  When I want sugar I think of it as fuel for the fire....I do lapse.  I've tried to take out all added sugar - like not buying spaghetti sauce with added sugar etc.  Now, I'm trying to eat better AND lose weight so carbs are fading out too....pasta was my favorite dish.....that one is harder than candy!

Chia seed is (from the package deception)"an ancient seed that has more Omega 3 and dietary fiber than any other food from nature" "plant based Omega 3 ALA, gluten free"

In a tablespoon - O cholesterol, 2.9g Omerga 3 ALA, 1.1 g Omega 6 LA, 75mg potassium, 5.6g fiber, 3.1g protein, 75 mg calcium, 1 mg iron, 43.5 mg magnesium, 90 mg Phosphorus, 4g polyunsaturated fat, .05g saturated fat, 66 calories.

I've stopped flax seed and use this now.  In cereal it absorbs some fluid - I got mine at whole foods, $7 bag lasted me a good 3 or 4 weeks using in the morning only.

Kay_G

Momine, honey and agave are better than sugar according to anti cancer. I believe they have a lower glycemic index than sugar and white flour, so don't increase the glucose in your blood as much as sugar.



I have not heard of chia seed. I guess that is a solid, not liquid like honey and agave?

SAB

Momine, the ladies already answered so I will just add that I use stevia instead of sugar or honey. Kay, chia is great.  Not much taste and easy to use IF you don't mind that it does look like bugs (it does!) I do reread anti-cancer all the time because it just has so much stuff in it and it is hard to remember everything. 

Momine

Kay and SAB, thanks! It sounds as if the key is keeping your blood sugar low and controlled, so I am guessing loads of exercise would be key. I am planning to work on my blood sugar (currently fasting glucose at 95-97, which seems too high to me). Thing is that I already have cut out white carbs, in any event eat few sweets etc. So, although I do eat some sugar and honey, it is not a huge amount and not even daily. I will look for chia seeds.

Kay_G

Momine, I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant and the endocrinologist told me to take two cans of veggies and put them in your hands and lift them over your head, like someone lifting weights. I forget how many times she told me to do them, maybe ten? She said that would work better than walking. It was August and hot and I was 8 months pregnant.

Momine

LOL, Kay, that is a funny picture. I want to get into a gym soon, but due to having had lymph nodes removed, my choices are a bit limited, especially with weight lifting. I generally walk a lot and I am fairly slender, which is good, but at the same time means that I can't improve my glucose by losing weight, since I don't have much weight to lose. So, with a healthy weight and a reasonably good diet, the last stop is the exercise, as far as I can see.

Kay_G

There is a medication called metformin which gets prescribed to diabetics, but is actually also on a trial with breast cancer patients to see if it helps prevent recurrence. I don't know much about it, but there are women on the boards here who really wanted to take it to prevent recurrence even though they aren't diabetic and don't have a problem with glucose. You could search it and read about it if you might want to look into it. It is frustrating when we seem to be doing everything right, but still something isn't the way we want it to be.

Momine

That is very interesting, thanks for the info. Thing is, my glucose is within normal. But a few years ago it used to be in the low 80s and now it is mid- to high 90s. This tells me that something in my metabolism has changed, and the timeframe for this change coincides with my getting cancer. So, although my doctors are not concerned and insist that I shouldn't worry, I know my body and this is off.

SAB

Momine, It sounds like you are on top of things, so you probably already look for for hidden sugars.  When I started eliminating sugar I was absolutely shocked at where it creeps into the diet.

My good food choice today is a lunch of artisan multigrain (yum, what a treat) with a little organic chicken breast, avocado, onions and cucumber.  For dinner we are having veggie burritos--sweet potato, roasted corn, black beans and tomatoes wrapped up in my multigrain tortillas.  Brown rice and a little chopped veggie salad on the side.

Momine

All your food sounds really good. You are right about hidden sugar, but we really use minimal packaged and prepared food. We never used jarred spaghetti sauce, for example, we do not buy things like mayo or salad dressing, desserts or cakes and we usually get bread from an artisanal bakery, because I don't like the sweetness of the supermarket bread.

CorinneM1

For those that don't use jarred pasta sauce...do you have a recipe that you can share?  I use jarred sauce and these posts are making me consider making a change.  And we eat a lot of pasta.  I moved over to whole wheat in the past 6 months, but should take the next healthy step to a healthy sauce.

Momine

Making your own is dead easy. You can either make a giant pot and freeze portions, or else just make it quick "to order." I will give you a basic idea, but you can really vary this a million different ways.

Basic sauce, small portion:

Chop fine an onion, 1-2 cloves garlic, a carrot (optional) and a stick of celery (optional). Saute in olive oil on good heat for a few minutes. When onion is translucent, add a splash of red wine (optional step) and let evaporate for a few minutes, then add 2 cans (the 14oz ones) of crushed, plain tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. Add a handful of chopped parsley. Let simmer 10 minutes (or longer, if you want and have time) and you are done.

As for variations, you can add other veggies, like peppers and mushrooms. Saute them a bit with the onion before adding the crushed tomato. You can also use herbs other than parsley or leave out the parsley if you have kids who balk at green stuff in their food. A handful of freshly chopped basil added right at the end is really good. You can make it spicy with red pepper flakes, add capers and anchovies along with the red pepper flakes and you have puttanesca. If you want a very smooth sauce, use a blender on the tomatoes before adding or on the finished sauce. 

AmyIsStrong

My husband makes a big pot of sauce to freeze. Here is how he does it. Once the sauce is ready and cool, put into freezer-quality ziplock bags (large size). Squeeze the air out and lay them flat. Stack them in the freezer. They take up very little room and are easy to take out, defrost, and use. I have to admit he usually uses them on a homemade pizza, which doesn't really qualify as a healthy choice, but at least there is no sugar in the sauce. And sometimes the tomatoes are from our garden!

sagina

Corrine, I had the best pasta sauce I've ever had the other day.  I watched this Italian lady make it, I was shocked at how simple and delicious.  All she did was cut an onion up, cooked it in butter with olive oil, when they were translucent, she added two cartons of chopped tomatoes, the box said imported from Italy (don't know if that made the difference). I saw the boxes in my grocery store in the canned tomato isle, they were about $4 each.  Then she let it simmer for about three hours.  She added just a pinch of salt.  I think the slow cooking is what made it so good.

CorinneM1

That's it.  I am planning my Sunday night family supper around making pasta sauce.

Today I had a great tomato soup and veggie panini.  Also on my 3rd cup of Holiday Green Tea from Trader Joes.  So yummy.  Totally curbs the sweet tooth.

Tonight will be quick indian dishes using items from Trader Joes. Tomorrow will be chicken noodle soup using amish chicken and organic broth and veggies for the kids.  Not sure what I will have. Saturday the hubs and I have a date at a very fancy 5 star restaurant, celebrating a friends birthday. The items are pre-ordered, but I know that the birthday girl was trying to order some veggie dishes for me. Which reminds me that I need to get myself a mani/pedi.  

Sunday, I am making homemade sauce.  Debating how to use the sauce--veggie lasagna?  Veggie pasta? Eggplant parm?  What are your favorite ways?

Kay_G

I haven't tried it yet, but I am looking forward to trying lasagna cupcakes. If you google it, the recipe will come up. You basically use wonton wrappers and then layer sauce, ricotta and mozarela cheese. You can also use meat or put veggies in there. It sounds like a great way to reduce the carbs. Some people on the what's for dinner thread have tried it and really liked it. They are supposed to be good to freeze too, then you can just take one portion out at a time too instead of a whole lasagna.

SAB

kay- how clever!

My good choice today was picking fruit for all of my snacks, green tea, wasa, and soup with quinoa chips.  Dinner was Chinese take-out, but I ordered white meat chicken with green beans and ate it with a little brown rice/quinoa blend. Could have been worse!

I haven't made spaghettie sauce in years, but I do love to chop up tomatoes and saute them in a little olive oil with lots of fresh basil. You may just inspire me to try it though...

Momine

Good point about sauteed tomatoes. One of our fave pasta toppings is really quick and simple.

Heat a large pan well with some olive oil. Throw in 2-3 cloves garlic, finely sliced. Stir around for a sec, just till it sizzles, then throw in a bunch of ripe, halved cherry tomatoes. Add salt and pepper and saute till the tomatoes give off some water, said water has started to evaporate and the tomatoes are soft. This should not take all that long. Then add either a handful of fresh basil, sliced, or a teaspoon or two of jarred pesto. Toss with pasta and add cubed, fresh mozz if you like. 

Banba

Been away a while, computer crash

Good, or at least a decent food choice this morning was pancakes made with corn and buckwheat flour and a small dose of agave syrup. Seem to have gone of sugar lately, it doen't take a lot to sweeten something up these days. As far as other sweet snack I have discovered a vegan liquorish/blueberry type sweet. Better than nothing...argggg...I need something for christmas!

Kay_G

had oatmeal with cinnamon, a small bit of agave and strawberries.  I keep trying to like oatmeal, but I just don't.  I have three different kinds I bought trying to find a kind I like that I have to use up now.  Are cheerios just as good, I actually like those.

SAB

kay, I know just what you mean.  I started putting very, very little water in and adding almonds, cinnamon, vanilla--whatever I can to add texture and make it taste like an oatmeal cookie!

 Yesterday I ate sate minus peanut sauce, brown rice, green tea and egg whites (not all at the same time  and this morning I will start the day with plain old wasa and peanut butter.  Saving up my "bad" stuff for this evening--a big family dinner featuring eggplant parmigian and whole grain pasta.  I will skip the garlic bread, go very, very light on the eggplant and pasta, and heavy on the salad.

Welcome back Banba, I hate computer problems. 

sagina

Help! I've fallen off the good food wagon and I can't get up!

Kay_G

Lending a hand Sagina. I have fallen off a bit too. Too many Christmas cookies. Don't know why I baked them. I guess I thought the kids would eat them, but they're not eating them fast enough. But I did have spinach and blueberries today (not together)

Banba

Kay, spinach and blueberries? That reminds me of a chef that tried to find an effective way to combine superfoods on a submarine(yes, it was one of these reality series). Chocolate and salmon just does not mix.

Sagina - taking your other hand and getting you back on the wagon.

SAB - I tried baking Wasa typ bread once. It is fast and easy and came out very nicely but I did set off the alarm in the apartment. I was going to say give it a go but maybe I scared you off now.

Breakfast - pumpernickel bread, soy salami/vegan spread, roasted pumkin seeds, radish and coffee/soy milk with agave. 

How will I survive if I can't have soy....