Can Processed Foods Be Healthy?

[jbrown329]

But...they are good for your heart.

A bowl of ham and beans pushes my blood sugar in the range of 180+ (read 2-3hrs after eating). Whereas pasta will push it to the 160 range.

 

[ElmosToe]

holy....

Where to even start.




Ed,

If you have serious health concerns that need to be addressed immediately and you must consume meat for whatever reason, only get it from your butcher where you select the cuts you want. Try to go for organic grass fed bison if you can get it. Try choosing chicken, turkey and eggs as a protein source.

Avoid ALL lunch meat, cured meat and canned meat.

Alistair has a good idea using avocado in place of mayonnaise.


Have you considered going vegetarian and possibly doing a raw vegan diet for a week or two in order to "cleanse" your system?
This will also "cleanse" your palate, allowing you to enjoy the flavor of real, whole foods.

I can give you an encyclopedia's worth of knowledge when it comes to health, fitness and nutrition and how to make supposedly disgusting foods taste amazing, like beets, brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes. I can give you plenty of ideas on how to prepare foods, cook, recipes. Hell, this reply could be volumes of books on things you can do to turn your health around very quickly if that is what you truly want to do and need to do.

Here are some things you should try to consume regularly or have at the ready in your fridge and pantry:

Kale
Spinach
Avocados
Sweet Potatoes
Garlic
Red Onions
Green onions
Beets
Tomatoes
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Cabbage
Squash
Carrots
Mushrooms
Chilis

Lemons
Limes
Cranberries
Blueberries
Pomegranates
Bananas
Apples
Pineapple
Applesauce

Fresh ginger
Cayenne pepper
Sea salt
Cinnamon
Black pepper
Turmeric
Chia
Dried herbs

Olive oil
Grapeseed oil
Avocado oil
Coconut oil
Balsamic vinegar
Apple cider vinegar

Local honey
Stevia
Monk fruit
Chicory Root
Maple syrup
Aloe vera juice
Green tea

Frozen vegetables
Frozen fruit
Brown rice
Quinoa
Nuts
Oats
Greek yogurt


What it boils down to is mostly inflammation in your body that tends to lead to other health problems including weight gain for example. Inflammation more often than not can be directly linked to what you are eating.


This may help.

 

[Alistair]

If you use agave nectar you can avoid the spike and crash. It's low on the glycemic index, but each diabetic must know what they can handle. It's even lower in carbs and calories than honey.

I love agave nectar in my tea and in my oatmeal

 

[jbrown329]

I love agave nectar in my tea and in my oatmeal

I can't have it. And I can no longer have honey. That was my sweetener of choice for hot tea. Sweet potatoes? Gaa! Same goes for beets.

Any fruit with a lot of sugar/carbs are out too. There went green grapes.
Watermelon? 3oz.
Pineapple? To much sugar. That's OK, not to fond of it anyway.
Cantaloupe? 1/8th of a melon, same for Honeydew.

Diabetes is so much fun. All the stuff I like is now off limits.

 

[EddMarkStarr]

holy....

Where to even start.




Ed,

If you have serious health concerns that need to be addressed immediately and you must consume meat for whatever reason, only get it from your butcher where you select the cuts you want. Try to go for organic grass fed bison if you can get it. Try choosing chicken, turkey and eggs as a protein source.

Avoid ALL lunch meat, cured meat and canned meat.

Alistair has a good idea using avocado in place of mayonnaise.


Have you considered going vegetarian and possibly doing a raw vegan diet for a week or two in order to "cleanse" your system?
This will also "cleanse" your palate, allowing you to enjoy the flavor of real, whole foods.

I can give you an encyclopedia's worth of knowledge when it comes to health, fitness and nutrition and how to make supposedly disgusting foods taste amazing, like beets, brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes. I can give you plenty of ideas on how to prepare foods, cook, recipes. Hell, this reply could be volumes of books on things you can do to turn your health around very quickly if that is what you truly want to do and need to do.

Right away I noticed the grouping of your recommended foods list.

This will help me as I now have to "plan" meals everyday. How lucky I am to have all you guys as reference for enlightened changes. My doctor is very upset with me because I've gotten lazy when it comes to meal planning.

Guys tell me they like my "size" but now I notice that my muscle mass is decreasing but my weight continues to rise - and you know what that means. Fat is not muscle, no matter how pleasing the shape.

My promise is to change from being not just be "big" but to be healthier. Otherwise my doctor wants to try controlling my blood pressure through medications, ( and that means side-effects}.

Thank you ElmoesToe, I was gonna ask if anyone had videos to recommend. I need to learn the "why" and "how" behind better food choices.

One thing's for sure, I have a lot to discuss with my new dietitian .