What We Do Eat - Michi's ladder!

My goal is to feed my family as much healthy and nutrient filled food as possible.  

That being said, I will confess that there are times that I don't or can't.  Those times would be: when my children are in others homes or care, when the food budget does not allow and some times when it's just not the battle I want to engage in with my family.  I do not want my need to watch my foods becoming a stumbling block to my children.  In time, they will have to make their own choices.  But for now, I can model, teach and love them...even if someone just offered them a mocha frappicino and they drank the whole thing!  There has to be grace in this process...  (OK off the soapbox!) 

Oh wait... I have to post this: 

I know, I know... I used to love them...

Carmel Frapp with whip

500 Calories

16 Fat

10 Saturated

80 Carbs

68 Sugars

NOW, tell me how this is good to eat every day?

Sooo:  below is a list of the "best" foods we can choose!  I copied this original list here from Team Beachbody.  My goal is not to "lose weight" but to eat healthy nutrient filled foods.  I will leave the list complete so that you can choose for yourself what you will decide to eat and feed your family.  Personally, I have one for myself with my diet modifications, and I have one for the family as they can eat tomatoes and whole grains etc. etc. 

Don't be overwhelmed.  
The concept of the "Ladder" is that we need to be eating from the top "Tiers" as much as possible.  The higher on the ladder...the better the food is for our body.  For example: we do occasionally eat lean hamburger listed on Tier 3.  However, we recognize that it is not the best choice and try to substitute chicken or a protein found in Tier 1 or 2 if possible.  This "ladder" also helps me see the truth of how healthy Brad's baked chips or my refried beans really are. :)   

Climb Michi's Ladder

Apples, with skin  C Artichokes (no sauce) PC Amaranth PC Arugula C Asparagus C Barley C Beans PCF Beets C Blueberries C Bok choy C Boysenberries C Bran C Broccoli PC Broccoli sprouts PC Brussels sprouts PC Cabbage C Carrots C Cauliflower C Celery C Chard PC Chickpeas PC Cherries C Citrus fruits C Collard greens PC Cottage cheese (nonfat) P Cucumbers C Egg whites P Endive C Fish (broiled, steamed, grilled) PF Flaxseed F Garlic (fresh) C Grapefruit C Grapes C Hempseed F Herbs Kale PFC Ketchup (homemade, no sugar) C Kiwifruit C Lentils PFC Lettuce (romaine, green or red leaf) C Melon honeydew C Milk (nonfat) PC Mushrooms C Mustard C Natto PFC Nectarines C Onions C Papayas C Peaches C Pears C Peas PC Peppers C Pineapple C Plums C Prunes C Quinoa PC Radishes C Raspberries C Refried beans (nonfat) PC Rice (whole-grain) C Salsa (natural, no sugar or oil) C Spelt PC Shakeology CP Spinach PC Squash C Strawberries C String beans PC Sweet potatoes C Tea (green or black, no sugar) Tomato sauce (no sugar) C Tomatoes C Vinegar Water Yams C Yogurt (nonfat, no sugar) PC Zucchini C Back to Top Apples, skinless C Applesauce (raw) C Avocados F Bagels (whole-grain) C Bananas C Bread (whole-grain) FC Broths (veggie, chicken, etc., low sodium) FC Buffalo, super lean (under 10% fat) PF Cereal (whole-grain) PFC Cheese (nonfat) P Coffee (black or cappuccino w/ nonfat milk) C Coconut F Corn FC Couscous PFC Cottage cheese (low-fat) PF Cream cheese (nonfat) P Dates C Eggs, whole PF Eggplant C Feta cheese (low-fat) PF Fowl (skinless, white meat only) PF Figs C Granola (raw, no sugar) PFC Hummus PFC Juice (fresh-squeezed w/ pulp, no sugar) C Mangoes C Meat, wild game PF Milk (1%) PFC Muesli (raw, no sugar) PFC Nuts (raw) PF Nut butters (raw, no additives) PF Oatmeal PC Olive oil F Olives F Pork tenderloin PF Plantains C Raisins C Ricotta cheese (nonfat) P Rye Crisp C Seitan PFC Squid PF Stevia Sunflower seeds PF Tahini PF Tempeh PFC Tofu PFC Vegetable juice C Veggie burger PFC Yacon syrup C Yogurt (low-fat, no sugar) PFC Back to Top Applesauce (big brand) C Agave nectar C Almond milk PFC Beef, ground, super lean (under 10% fat) PF Beef (lean cuts) PF Broths (veggie, chicken, etc.) C Butter (unsalted) F Canola oil F Cheese (hard) Cheese (low-fat) PF Chicken taco (baked) PFC Chili (no lard or sugar added) PF Crackers (whole-grain) FC Cream cheese (low-fat) PF Fowl (skinless, dark meat only) PF Fowl, ground, super lean (under 10% fat) PF French fries (baked) FC Fruit (dried) C Granola (no sugar added) C Honey C Jam or marmalade (no sugar added) C Ketchup (store bought, no sugar added) C Lamb (lean) PF Lettuce (iceberg) C Maple syrup (natural, no sugar added) C Milk (2%) PFC Muesli (big brand) PC Molasses C Oatmeal (flavored) PC Pancakes (buckwheat) C Pasta (whole-grain) C Pickles C Popcorn (plain) FC Potatoes (baked or boiled) C Refried beans (low-fat) PFC Rice cakes C Rice milk C Rice (white) C Sauerkraut C Shellfish P Shrimp P Soy milk PFC Soy nuts PFC Sugar alcohols (Truvia, & anything ending in –tol) C Sushi PFC Tortillas (whole wheat) FC Veal PF Wine (red) C Wine (white) C Back to Top Artificial sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, saccharine, etc.) Bagels (refined flour) C Beef, ground, lean (under 20% fat) PF Beer C Bread (refined flour) C Butter (salted) F Caesar salad (w/ chicken) PFC Canadian bacon PF Cheese, soft (including blue and goat) F Chips (low-fat, baked) C Cobb salad PFC Coffee (iced mocha latte w/ nonfat milk) PC Coffee (latte w/ whole milk) PFC Coffee cake FC Crackers FC Cream cheese F Fish (fried) PF Fowl (with skin) PF Fowl, ground, lean (under 20% fat) PF Graham crackers C Ham PF Hot dogs (turkey) PF Ice cream (sugar-free or fat-free) FC Jell-O C Jerky (turkey) P Juice (from concentrate) C Lamb chops PF Lasagna PFC Macaroni and cheese FC Mayonnaise F Meat loaf PF Milk (whole) PFC Muffins FC Nuts (salted or roasted) F Nut butters (processed) FC Pancakes FC Peanut butter (not raw) FC Pizza (thin crust veggie) PFC Popcorn (w/ salt and butter) FC Pork chop PF Potato salad or macaroni salad FC Pretzels C Pudding (w/ low-fat milk) FC Reuben sandwich PFC Sauce (steak, etc.) C Sherbet C Sloppy Joe (lean beef or turkey) PFC Soup (canned creamy) PFC Soy sauce Spaghetti (w/ meatballs) PFC Sub sandwich PFC Sweet-and-sour sauce FC Tortilla (refined flour or corn) FC Tuna salad or chicken salad PF Yogurt (frozen) C Back to Top Alcohol (hard liquor) Bacon PF Baked beans PFC Beef, ground, regular, (over 20% fat) PF Beef taco (fried) PFC "Breaded" foods FC Breakfast sandwich (fast-food) PFC Cake FC Candy PFC Cereal (sugared) PFC Chicken à la King PFC Chicken (buffalo wings, nuggets, tenders) PFC Chicken or fish sandwich, fried PFC Chips (potato or corn) FC Chocolate PFC Chicken fried steak PFC Cinnamon bun FC Coffee (mocha, macchiato, ice blended, frappé, triple caramel vanilla buzz bomb, etc.) FC Cookies (Oreo®, etc.) FC Creamed veggies FC Creamer (nondairy) FC Doughnuts FC Energy drinks C Fowl, ground, regular (over 20% fat) PF French fries FC Gravy PF Grilled cheese sandwich PFC Hamburger (fast-food) PFC High fructose corn syrup C Hot dogs PFC "Hydrogenated" foods F Ice cream FC Jerky (beef, pork, venison) PFC Juice (sugar added) C Lobster Newburg PFC Margarine F Milk (cream or half-and-half) PFC Nachos FC Onion rings FC Pastries FC Pies FC Pizza (delivered) PFC Potato skins (fried) FC Refried beans (w/ lard) PFC Salad dressing (creamy) FC Sausage PF Soft drinks, diet (read the studies) Soft drinks, sugared C Sports drinks & foods (unless you're playing sports) Syrup C Sugar (refined) C Tater tots FC Toaster pastries FC Vegetable oil (cheap big brand) F

My next post will be specifics of what we are currently eating, but I first wanted you to have the big picture of good food choices.  

Inflammation - 7 Foods to Avoid...Here's #7

Nightshade Vegetables

There are over 2,000 species of plants that can be listed under the category of "nightshade".  The edible versions of these foods contain chemicals that "ignite" inflammation.  The recommended time for a nightshade-free diet to prove beneficial is ninety days.  If you don't feel improvement in your pain, inflammation and mobility, go back to eating them.  It won't take long for your body to let you know. 

Which Foods Come From "Nightshade" Plants?

Completely Avoid: Tomatoes, Potatoes (Sweet Potatoes & Yams are NOT nightshades), Peppers (red, green, yellow, any variety), Paprika, Goji Berries, Cayenne, Chili powder, Eggplant and Okra.

Be careful of : sauces and dressings like A1, Worcestershire, Tabasco, etc. Many restaurant and store-bought dressings and sauces contain potato starch or a "dash" of paprika or cayenne.  

My World 

Well - if you know me, you know I love salsa!  So this post has been a good reminder to me that I need to focus on this again and see what changes I can make.  One change I have made is to add more hummus in my daily food.  I use this when I need a dip instead of salsa.  I also spread it on chicken for lunch.  A great added bonus is that it has protein!  Side note: Don't take it to the Super Bowl Party unless your friends "eat healthy" because it doesn't "look" appetizing on it's own. :)

Inflammation - 7 Foods to Avoid...Here's #6

Dairy

Some experts say dairy products, particularly milk, have been shown to drive the symptoms of arthritis-like disorders.  Additionally, we need to avoid cheeses that are aged and made with mold like Stilton, Blue Cheese, and Brie, as the molds also "ignite" inflammation.

My World

Milk does upset my digestive system... so thankfully, I am not a lover of milk or mold cheeses making this one easier for me.  We do use hormone-free milk in our home.  (I personally wonder if it's the hormones in the milk that causes the inflammation problems.)  I also use other options when they are available such as Coconut Milk.  Because of the differing views on Soy, I don't use soy milk on a regular basis.  

Inflammation - 7 Foods to Avoid...Here's #5

Yeast & Gluten

Although these are two separate things, they frequently appear together, particularly in baked goods like cake, donuts, and bread.  The good news is that cutting out one usually means you are cutting out both, leading to double the benefit for people with inflammation problems.

Yeast?

Yeast fosters the overgrowth of yeast fungus in the body.  This overgrowth may cause or increase much of the joint and muscle pain. Yeast is almost always found in: bread, pretzels & the like, beer, malt beverages, cider, many fruit skins especially grapes & plums.  Other foods to be cautious of (Read the labels) include: canned soups, doughnuts, soy sauce, some sources of Vitamin B.

Gluten? 

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley & rye.  Gluten can intensify a condition known as gluten intolerance, resulting in a variety of digestive disorders and widely associated with fatigue, especially in fibromyalgia patients. 

You can find gluten in the obvious bread and pasta categories but you will also want to watch out for more hidden sources such as: candy, processed meats, packaged cereals, canned baked beans, canned broths and soups, hot dogs, potato chips.  Again your best defense is to read the labels.  Soon you will know what brands to buy and what to just stay away from.  The beautiful part about the year 2011...there are a lot of gluten free foods available. :)

My World

Six years ago, in my quest to determine why I felt so bad I had self-diagnosed myself to have Celiac Disease (Gluten Intollerance).  I have a close friend whose child has Celiac and I watched as they struggled to find out what was going on with his body.  I resonated with his "bloated tummy and listlessness"  To the glory of God, I was also able to watch that child start to thrive again in a rather short period of time.  

So after remembering this...I was in... I ate gluten free for a full year. On Valentine's Day of that year, I had a colonoscopy (Happy Valentine's Day to me! ) "proving" that I did not officially have Celiac.  BUT after allowing myself to add gluten back into my diet.. I KNOW I feel better when I stay away from it.  So even if I"tested" negative for Celiac, I personally believe staying away from gluten helps tremendously. 

Here's to feeling better!