# Healthy Eating



## Captainnumber36

I eat oatmeal in the mornings but am looking for lunch/dinner ideas. Thanks in advance!


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## Ingélou

I have a banana for breakfast and my oats for lunch, in the shape of buttered oatcakes with a thin layer of cheddar on top, and a handful of nuts (walnuts & almonds) afterwards.


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## Captainnumber36

Ingélou said:


> I have a banana for breakfast and my oats for lunch, in the shape of buttered oatcakes with a thin layer of cheddar on top, and a handful of nuts (walnuts & almonds) afterwards.


Does the banana fill you up? I could have a banana or two for lunch along with a salad w/ balsamic vinegar.


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## Strange Magic

I eat an orange for lunch every day. Other lunch items might be cottage cheese, or sardines atop crusty bread, or a bowl of chick peas and elbow macaroni tossed in olive oil along with oregano and basil. Or something else. But the orange is constant.


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## senza sordino

Don’t deprive yourself of things that are tasty. I think the biggest thing one can do to eat healthier is to cook from scratch for oneself. 

I usually have oatmeal, large flake oats that take 15 minutes to cook, a slice of bread and a fruit smoothie for breakfast weekdays. I’ll eat less on weekends. Lunch is usually leftovers from the night before. Last night I made tomato sauce and pasta. Tonight I’ll roast chicken legs, potatoes and some roasted vegetables. 

Eat food with ingredients you know and can pronounce. Eat lots of vegetables. Eat in moderation. Avoid the centre of the supermarket - only eat food from the periphery of the supermarket.


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## starthrower

Oatmeal isn't the best way to start the day. You need protein. If I have oatmeal I add flax or chia seeds for protein and fiber. I rarely eat beef or pork. Mostly chicken and Salmon. I eat spinach and broccoli or asparagus. And I eat a lot of berries. And nuts and seeds. I cut out dairy milk, orange juice and alcohol to reduce sugar intake. Vanilla flavored almond milk is what I drink now and it tastes great with no sugar.


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## Captainnumber36

I'm going with oats in the morning, salad w/ balsamic vinegar along with an apple for lunch, and dinner I will have a spinach wrap with private selection hummus, oven roasted turkey breast from the deli, lettuce, tomato, and pimento cheese.


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## Bigbang

I eat oatmeal more in the mornings and add blueberries/banana(banana is naturally sweet),cacao powder, flaxseed, chia seeds and almond milk unsweetened. Not every day with all the ingredients but most. I do not cook the oats. If chia seeds are added I soak them for 30 minutes in the bowl with almond milk. The big thing for me is not to add any sugar stuff at all (raise blood sugar) so the banana is the sweetner. Goes well with black coffee. And I might say that dates are good in oatmeal though I do not add any other fruit if I put dates. Do try it not cooked (oatmeal) because what a time saver and clean up as well. 

For lunch--I have to eat various meals and quickly, so a small hummus pack/baby carrots, cucumber etc or high quality crackers (no fried or processed flour crackers. Nuts are a big thing for me...one has to keep in mind nuts do have fats so even though touted as healthy fat, this is a source of debate if one has heart disease etc. Apples...fruit

I also buy Tasty Bite packages for lunch/dinner, add cauliflower (cook in microwave 5 minutes and add to lentils food. Rice takes longer and has issues of being starchy so cauliflower is really good to use. 

Dinner, well, I leave it to others to give options. But even when I am in a hurry can pintos over a sweet potatoe is better than eating processed food too much. Here the can beans have salt (those who are sensitive to it) but all in moderation. 

Don't forget to add a little light classical in the background when cooking....lol


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## starthrower

I'm having scrambled eggs, hash browns and broccoli for breakfast. And some fresh coffee. My diet has pretty terrible for the last month since I've been on a lot of pain meds and food doesn't taste good. I've been binging on sweets. But it's only temporary. Once I heal up I'll get back to the gym and eating healthier.


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## Luchesi

It's very healthy (for many reasons) to eat only 30 grams of carbs before 4pm every day. Then eat normally after that. ...But your stomach will shrink quite a bit after a few days and your evening intake will be noticeably reduced.

You will lose weight rapidly, BUT you will gain it right back just as quickly if you go back to 3 meals and snacks throughout the day. This is because it takes almost a year to lose the fat cells. They keep you able to function during very lean times.

Is it worth it to do this for a year? Well, that's the question.. It's not that you will feel hungry, but you will be depriving yourself.


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## Bigbang

Luchesi said:


> It's very healthy (for many reasons) to eat only 30 grams of carbs before 4pm every day. Then eat normally after that. ...But your stomach will shrink quite a bit after a few days and your evening intake will be noticeably reduced.
> 
> You will lose weight rapidly, BUT you will gain it right back just as quickly if you go back to 3 meals and snacks throughout the day. This is because it takes almost a year to lose the fat cells. They keep you able to function during very lean times.
> 
> Is it worth it to do this for a year? Well, that's the question.. It's not that you will feel hungry, but you will be depriving yourself.


Question is what it means to eat normally after 4pm? And why low carbs before 4? Because "experts" have theories on when and why a person should eat. For me, (I am not overweight/no body fat) the issue is to eat for a lifetime not to achieve something short term. My bet is this: For most people they should be eating whole plant based foods as much as possible and doing so will be avoiding processed carbs in packages (high sugar content) and limiting saturated fats. Again, each and every person should not be looking for advice on this forum but use their on mind to read the pros and cons of these experts....if one thinks keto is the way to go to lose weight and lower sugar...read and watch the cons of this argument...can it last a lifetime??

I will eat as close to whole plant foods all the way.


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## Captainnumber36

Bigbang said:


> For me, (I am not overweight/no body fat) the issue is to eat for a lifetime not to achieve something short term.


I agree with this. The food I bought yesterday tastes so much more fresh and real than eating out!


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## starthrower

I got in the habit of eating out too much. There is usually too much sodium in the food and portions are too big. My preferred place to eat is a local Vietnamese restaurant. Food quality is very good. I never feel thirsty when I'm done eating. I also like Core Life Eatery where I usually order a larger bowl of greens. I try to limit stuff like hamburgers to just one or two a month. I love Salmon but you have to read the labels. I steer clear of anything farm raised in China. From what I've read, most Chinese salmon farmers are poor and they feed the fish waste products instead of quality food.


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## senza sordino

There is a plethora of healthy eating advice out there. And it's bewildering what to choose and who to believe. I get quite irritated by the local news when they have their health news segment as it's often at odds to what we've heard previously. There is research funded by one company, research funded by another, research funded by the regulatory agency, research done by crackpots with no credentials.

What do we believe? Who is right? And what we think is right in 2020 will not all be right in 2030.

I never drink pop. I never eat TV dinners, that is, food made in a factory. I rarely have two or more drinks per day, it's usually one drink only a day, and often I don't drink at all. I don't eat out very often, once a month or less. I fast 12 hours each day - my dinner ends at 7 pm and I eat breakfast 12 hours later, I never craze on potato chips or popcorn as I watch a movie at night.

I think my breakfast, mentioned above, has some protein. I add almonds to my oatmeal and my smoothie is made of almond milk and yogurt.

But I'm not perfect, I could stand to lose 10 to 20 lbs.

Here's a recipe I use for bean burgers.

One can of black beans.
One onion.
Chili flakes
Cumin
Worcestershire sauce.
A bit of flour or Panko or breadcrumbs.

Chop onion into very small pieces.
Saute the onions, chili flakes and cumin till cooked.
Drain off fluid, add can of beans to mixing bowl.
Add sauted onions etc to mixing bowl.
Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce
Add a bit of flour or Panko or breadcrumbs to bind your mixture.
Mash. I have a hand held blender.
Chill in fridge for a few hours. (Can be skipped)

Form into small hamburger like patties.
Saute to crisp the outer layer and warm the entire patty.

Serve as you like, as a hamburger or without the bread.


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## CnC Bartok

Geordie humour:


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## Jacck

Chocolate comes from cocoa, which is a tree, that makes it a plant. Chocolate is salad.


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## Bigbang

starthrower said:


> I got in the habit of eating out too much. There is usually too much sodium in the food and portions are too big. My preferred place to eat is a local Vietnamese restaurant. Food quality is very good. I never feel thirsty when I'm done eating. I also like Core Life Eatery where I usually order a larger bowl of greens. I try to limit stuff like hamburgers to just one or two a month. I love Salmon but you have to read the labels. I steer clear of anything farm raised in China. From what I've read, most Chinese salmon farmers are poor and they feed the fish waste products instead of quality food.


I like vietnamese food too as it is light and you do not fill up like you might on american food. I used to order vegan service and was paying 60 to 80 per week for meals delivered, soups, salads, entrees and this experience opened my eyes to more possibilities. First, I was not about to keep paying for this food no matter how delicious it was. But I took a close look at the ingredients in the menu....how many times can you use chickpeas??? Apparently a lot , not to mention cauliflower, broccoli, and beans (black) and dress them up in recipes. Very good but expensive. So I realized I can get the benefits of healthy eating by buying the foods and doing simple pairings. I saw in Costco store they were selling cauliflower rice packs for microwave, and the selling feature is it is better than rice. But I have been buying cauliflower heads for 2.25...tear off a chunk, microwave 5 minutes, crush it up, bingo cauliflower rice for a lot cheaper than buying prepackages. If I do not prepare a meal then maybe I use a prepackage tasty bite madras lentils and pour over my cauliflower. I am definitely not high end for sure. And a group I use to meet up with on vegan eating, a couple opened a restaurant based on the wife expertise on world cuisine. It isn't cheap, and actually not that healthy in some meals (oils etc) but I know that I can still learn to buy on the cheap and eat as healthy.


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## Luchesi

Bigbang said:


> Question is what it means to eat normally after 4pm? And why low carbs before 4? Because "experts" have theories on when and why a person should eat. For me, (I am not overweight/no body fat) the issue is to eat for a lifetime not to achieve something short term. My bet is this: For most people they should be eating whole plant based foods as much as possible and doing so will be avoiding processed carbs in packages (high sugar content) and limiting saturated fats. Again, each and every person should not be looking for advice on this forum but use their on mind to read the pros and cons of these experts....if one thinks keto is the way to go to lose weight and lower sugar...read and watch the cons of this argument...can it last a lifetime??
> 
> I will eat as close to whole plant foods all the way.


We've been mislead about eating meat and eating fat, cheese etc. It wasn't their fault - it was more complicated than they realized. As a simple example, you should eat meat only once a day so that your body can rid itself of the toxins. The toxins are the problem - in addition to not having the right nutrients for processing the meat. It's complicated.


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## Guest

I am skeptical of the dietary prescriptions that say there is a _perfect_ way to eat. I think the best diet is lots of green vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, plant based oils, ample plant based protein, light on dairy, meat, animal fat, as little processed sugar and starch, and generally processed food as possible. And keep total calories within reason.


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## Luchesi

Baron Scarpia said:


> I am skeptical of the dietary prescriptions that say there is a _perfect_ way to eat. I think the best diet is lots of green vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, plant based oils, ample plant based protein, light on dairy, meat, animal fat, as little processed sugar and starch, and generally processed food as possible. And keep total calories within reason.


This entertaining video brought home to me some facts I didn't know about eating meat. Actually, this doctor is definitely against eating meat, but you can read between the lines and come to your own conclusions, armed with the info.

It's really about moderation in all things, but with new biochemical findings that were difficult to uncover.


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## starthrower

A sufficient amount of fiber and water should help flush out the toxins. I've thought many times about learning how to eat as a vegetarian but haven't persued it. I recently found out that an old friend of mine is a vegetarian so I'd like to talk about this the next time I see him.


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## Merl

My eldest son is a veggie but I cant do it. I just love sausages, bacon and steak. I certainly couldn't be vegan. I love cheese too much.


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## starthrower

I don't think I could go full vegan. I like eggs for breakfast. And I like my ice cream in the summer. I did give up dairy milk in favor of almond milk. I don't think I'll give up fish either. But I can stay away from steak, bacon, and sausages. And I never eat hotdogs.


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## Luchesi

starthrower said:


> I don't think I could go full vegan. I like eggs for breakfast. And I like my ice cream in the summer. I did give up dairy milk in favor of almond milk. I don't think I'll give up fish either. But I can stay away from steak, bacon, and sausages. And I never eat hotdogs.


Yes, I switched to almond milk as soon as I saw that it would be readily available at a competitive price. I can't remember now how long ago that was.

There are important things in meats and eggs and butter etc. that I didn't even know were in there. You can probably live years without them, but eventually there will be some ramifications. When you weigh the good and bad?

Everyone has a different make up.

I just read that Steve Jobs got cancer when he was 24 years old.


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## Bigbang

Luchesi said:


> We've been mislead about eating meat and eating fat, cheese etc. It wasn't their fault - it was more complicated than they realized. As a simple example, you should eat meat only once a day so that your body can rid itself of the toxins. The toxins are the problem - in addition to not having the right nutrients for processing the meat. It's complicated.


I'll be honest here and say I cannot understand what you are getting at. But suffice to say I know that there are many so-called experts running around telling everyone what is best.


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## Bigbang

Baron Scarpia said:


> I am skeptical of the dietary prescriptions that say there is a _perfect_ way to eat. I think the best diet is lots of green vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, plant based oils, ample plant based protein, light on dairy, meat, animal fat, as little processed sugar and starch, and generally processed food as possible. And keep total calories within reason.


I agree and this is exactly what I strive for every day.


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## Bigbang

Luchesi said:


> This entertaining video brought home to me some facts I didn't know about eating meat. Actually, this doctor is definitely against eating meat, but you can read between the lines and come to your own conclusions, armed with the info.
> 
> It's really about moderation in all things, but with new biochemical findings that were difficult to uncover.


I have seen the video before (actually is dated a few years back) and he is a proponent of not eating meat. I think he is a great resource for learning about food. However, I find it too disconcerting that he seems to always find connections to meat being a source of what ails everyone who has health issue and eats meat. He like to hammer home points that eating meat sparingly will not work. Bottom line is everyone has to know their health issues and listen to their body. I know what it means to eat this and that. I do not eat what I want but eat what I need.


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## Bigbang

Merl said:


> My eldest son is a veggie but I cant do it. I just love sausages, bacon and steak. I certainly couldn't be vegan. I love cheese too much.


You can do what some people do---eat meat substitutes to satisfy a craving. But it is not necessarily healthy that is for sure. That is why I do not try to mimic the meat lifestyle. There are some really good food that is vegan/vegetarian prepared. But what it comes down to is when you make efforts in this direction and you began to notice how you feel and what your body is doing you realize, yes, I can give up some of these habits.


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## SixFootScowl

Captainnumber36 said:


> I eat oatmeal in the mornings but am looking for lunch/dinner ideas. Thanks in advance!


I used to love to eat oatmeal in the morning, and I would sop the bowl of oatmeal in half a bottle of real maple syrup! Delicious!

Now I eat multigrain squares sopped in orange/strawberry/bananna juice. Also delicious!

Did I mention I hate milk? I make exception though for chocolate milk, but not in cereal! 

I almost never eat eggs for breakfast, but do eat them a lot for dinner and sometimes for lunch.

Oh and will any join me February 1 in celebrating *National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day*?


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## SixFootScowl

Jacck said:


> Chocolate comes from cocoa, which is a tree, that makes it a plant. Chocolate is salad.


My two favorite foods: Chocolate and Ketchup--not together. Especially good is baked ketchup so it kind of jells into a thick goo. Also, I never fail to pull the coalesced ketchup from the upper neck upon opening a new bottle. Very tasty.


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## DaveM

starthrower said:


> A sufficient amount of fiber and water should help flush out the toxins...


Well, it will help keep you regular. Not sure what those toxins might be.


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## Pat Fairlea

DaveM said:


> Well, it will help keep you regular. Not sure what those toxins might be.


I just don't get this 'eat foods to flush out toxins' thing. I have a functioning liver and kidneys to flush out toxins. That's what they do. It's their job.

I also take note of my teeth and the length of my gut. They are the equipment of an omnivore, so I eat omni. Almost anything (except celery - I'm not an animal) in modest amounts, as little processed as possible. Meat mostly from farms within 15-20km of my home. Plenty of fruit and veg. Chocolate, obviously. And cheese: proper unprocessed cheese that tastes of cheese. Home-made bread with a smidge of rye flour for flavour.

And somehow I manage to remain healthy and not overweight. It's amazing!


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## DaveM

Pat Fairlea said:


> I just don't get this 'eat foods to flush out toxins' thing. I have a functioning liver and kidneys to flush out toxins. That's what they do. It's their job.


The concept of toxins in the colon is what is behind the use of 'cleansing enemas'. People have the picture of nefarious substances and accumulated sludge throughout the colon that is behind a general feeling of 'unwellness', lethargy and general lack of energy. The truth is that the colon is effective in getting rid of the waste products of digestion and barring overt constipation does not allow bad stuff to accumulate. Also, what is true is that the concept of 'toxins' is more often an effective source of income-enhancement from all sorts of snake-oil products.


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## Jacck

DaveM said:


> The concept of toxins in the colon is what is behind the use of 'cleansing enemas'. People have the picture of nefarious substances and accumulated sludge throughout the colon that is behind a general feeling of 'unwellness', lethargy and general lack of energy. The truth is that the colon is effective in getting rid of the waste products of digestion and barring overt constipation does not allow bad stuff to accumulate. Also, what is true is that the concept of 'toxins' is more often an effective source of income-enhancement from all sorts of snake-oil products.


cleansing enemas are relatively benign. Some people drink distilled water to detox. 
but there might be some toxins in the body - stored in body fats (some chemicals such as DDT are stored in fat), or heavy metals, or undigested remnants in cell vacuoles etc. That is why some people do fasting to stimulate autophagy (the cells start to digest themselves)


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## DaveM

Jacck said:


> cleansing enemas are relatively benign. Some people drink distilled water to detox.


Well, to 'think' they are detoxing since they aren't detoxing anything.



> but there might be some toxins in the body - stored in body fats (some chemicals such as DDT are stored in fat), or heavy metals, or undigested remnants in cell vacuoles etc. That is why some people do fasting to stimulate autophagy (the cells start to digest themselves)


While autophagy is a real process in the body, there is no reliable proof that fasting or any other action we can take or do will result in the effective removal of substances that have accumulated -and are doing harm- due to the failure of normal autophagy. Perhaps the day will come when that will be possible in preventing or slowing diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.


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## SixFootScowl

And to think there are people who drink their own urine believing there are health benefits to it! Crazy world!


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## Pat Fairlea

Jacck said:


> cleansing enemas are relatively benign.


Excuse my scepticism, but I was raised in the belief that the alimentary canal has an input end and an output end, and that it is fundamentally important not to repurpose either of them. Yes, I know vomiting outputs through the input port, but it's a sign of serious malfunction. Voluntarily inputting through the output port is asking for trouble. Piles of it.


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## starthrower

Fritz Kobus said:


> And to think there are people who drink their own urine believing there are health benefits to it! Crazy world!


I prefer a hot cup of coffee in the morning. It gets my bowels moving. Eating veggies every day keeps my body in good working order.


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## SixFootScowl

starthrower said:


> I prefer a hot cup of coffee in the morning. It gets my bowels moving. Eating veggies every day keeps my body in good working order.


Very true of coffee! I would probably not eat much the way of vegetables but my wife always cooks a lot of them. I only complain if there is cauliflower (which goes to the dog) or too much broccoli.


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## starthrower

I love broccoli. I put it in the frying pan with my eggs and hash browns. And throw in some mushrooms too.


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## Rogerx

Fritz Kobus said:


> And to think there are people who drink their own urine believing there are health benefits to it! Crazy world!


It's good for winter feet though.


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## Luchesi

Fritz Kobus said:


> Very true of coffee! I would probably not eat much the way of vegetables but my wife always cooks a lot of them. I only complain if there is cauliflower (which goes to the dog) or too much broccoli.


Broccoli Eliminates H. Pylori, Protects Against Ulcers, Stomach Cancer

Broccoli and broccoli sprouts contain a chemical called sulforaphane that kills helicobacter pylori, the bacteria responsible for peptic ulcers and most gastric cancers, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

In the U.S., approximately 50% of people over age 50 test positive for H. pylori, which does not always cause ulcers, but is now known to dramatically increase an individual's risk for often fatal stomach cancers, and to be a causative factor in a wide range of other stomach disorders including gastritis, esophagitis, and acid indigestion.

In the lab, scientists at Johns Hopkins found that sulforaphane effectively killed H. pylori regardless of whether it was inside or outside of stomach lining cells and even if it was a strain that had become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. In addition, even brief exposure to sulforaphane killed H. pyloriinside human stomach lining cells.


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## Jacck

Luchesi said:


> Broccoli Eliminates H. Pylori, Protects Against Ulcers, Stomach Cancer
> 
> Broccoli and broccoli sprouts contain a chemical called sulforaphane that kills helicobacter pylori, the bacteria responsible for peptic ulcers and most gastric cancers, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
> 
> In the U.S., approximately 50% of people over age 50 test positive for H. pylori, which does not always cause ulcers, but is now known to dramatically increase an individual's risk for often fatal stomach cancers, and to be a causative factor in a wide range of other stomach disorders including gastritis, esophagitis, and acid indigestion.
> 
> In the lab, scientists at Johns Hopkins found that sulforaphane effectively killed H. pylori regardless of whether it was inside or outside of stomach lining cells and even if it was a strain that had become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. In addition, even brief exposure to sulforaphane killed H. pyloriinside human stomach lining cells.


it is not entirely clear if the H. Pylori is just negative
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4291894/


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## Luchesi

Jacck said:


> it is not entirely clear if the H. Pylori is just negative
> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4291894/


Good info. As you know since we're informed by evolutionary studies, many issues with human health should be divided into what's beneficial for young people (breeding age) and what becomes long-term damaging in old people. As with other species, we're not designed to live a long time, because due to limited food resources etc. our species wouldn't be here if we were. The Grandmother Effect did change that to some degree, but that was quite recent.


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## SixFootScowl

Rogerx said:


> It's good for winter feet though.


Direct application, while still warm?


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## SixFootScowl

starthrower said:


> I love broccoli. I put it in the frying pan with my eggs and hash browns. And throw in some mushrooms too.


I had a bad experience with mushrooms that kind of turns me off to them. Think mushroom omlette at a diner and it must have had a 16-ounce can of mushrooms jammed into it (canned mushrooms--ugh!). I ended up pulling the mushrooms out and calling for a bottle of ketchup in order to finish the eggs. And this, a diner that the locals were saying is a great place to eat.


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## Captainnumber36

Fritz Kobus said:


> I had a bad experience with mushrooms that kind of turns me off to them. Think mushroom omlette at a diner and it must have had a 16-ounce can of mushrooms jammed into it (canned mushrooms--ugh!). I ended up pulling the mushrooms out and calling for a bottle of ketchup in order to finish the eggs. And this, a diner that the locals were saying is a great place to eat.


That's unfortunate. I love mushrooms!


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## Jacck

Captainnumber36 said:


> That's unfortunate. I love mushrooms!


mushroom hunting is a national hobby here. Always in late spring and autumn the woods are full of people hunting mushrooms. Some of them get poisoned from time to time. The most dangerous is the death cap (amanita phalloides). There are many recipes - mushroom soups, mushrooms with scrambled eggs, mushroom sauces, fried mushrooms etc. 
https://prague.tv/en/s72/c210/n1940-mushroom-picking-czech


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## Captainnumber36

I'm still looking for a more filling dinner option that is still healthy. My salads weren't filling me up enough, any ideas would be greatly appreciated!


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## starthrower

Put more stuff in your salads. Avacado, chicken, fruit, etc. I know it's not healthy but I'm having pizza for dinner. I had my oatmeal, veggies, and fruit earlier.


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## Captainnumber36

starthrower said:


> Put more stuff in your salads. Avacado, chicken, fruit, etc. I know it's not healthy but I'm having pizza for dinner. I had my oatmeal, veggies, and fruit earlier.


Once in a while is ok! . Finding healthy foods you know you will be motivated to make is key in staying on the good path I think.


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## Captainnumber36

I think I'm going to try adding canned fish and berries to my salads to see what that does.


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## Captainnumber36

Captainnumber36 said:


> I think I'm going to try adding canned fish and berries to my salads to see what that does.


I tried adding tuna and blackberries to my salad tonight and it was great!


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## Captainnumber36

starthrower said:


> Put more stuff in your salads. Avacado, chicken, fruit, etc. I know it's not healthy but I'm having pizza for dinner. I had my oatmeal, veggies, and fruit earlier.


What pizza did you get? Delivery, boxed, toppings?


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## Pat Fairlea

starthrower said:


> Put more stuff in your salads. Avacado, chicken, fruit, etc. I know it's not healthy but I'm having pizza for dinner. I had my oatmeal, veggies, and fruit earlier.


What's 'not healthy' about pizza? 
Too much pizza, or pizza too often, would be an unhealthy diet, but so would too much muesli or having avocado on sourdough toast twice a day. Enjoy your food!


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## Captainnumber36

Pat Fairlea said:


> What's 'not healthy' about pizza?
> Too much pizza, or pizza too often, would be an unhealthy diet, but so would too much muesli or having avocado on sourdough toast twice a day. Enjoy your food!


But some foods eaten in high frequencies don't harm you as much as other foods eaten in high frequencies.


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## Bigbang

Pat Fairlea said:


> What's 'not healthy' about pizza?
> Too much pizza, or pizza too often, would be an unhealthy diet, but so would too much muesli or having avocado on sourdough toast twice a day. Enjoy your food!


There is this debate about the effects of fatty foods on arteries and there does not seem to be much doubt that is is not good. The problem is that it has an effect on the blood flow after eating a high fat meal. So eating good before or the next day does nothing really except if you are eating a good meal...good for the body at that time. But, there is another debate on whether antioxidants help in this warding off the effects of a high fat meal. One BBC show I saw recently was testing for this and saw no improvement but other studies lean toward benefit.

Bottom line: Well, each person has to live their life. While I drink tea (hot) of various kinds, coffee, and of course water, I figure the antioxidants in coffee and tea might help combat the fatty foods. And, of course try to eat beans, cruciferous veggies, and healthy snacks. Oh, and we got to keep moving.....

Well, let's do the best we can.


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## DaveM

A slice of pizza, typically 1/6 of the pie, has anywhere from 5-7gm of saturated fat which would be the equivalent of about 2 standard McDonald’s hamburgers. Probably more than not, people don’t stop at just one slice so any typical pizza meal is going to likely have major saturated fat. Starting back in the 1970s, the role of saturated fat in raising cholesterol and increasing the risk of heart disease was probably exaggerated while the role of carbohydrates was ignored. 

However, many studies support the role of saturated fat in raising LDL (so-called bad) cholesterol and perhaps worse, increasing the type of belly fat that releases inflammatory substances in the body. So foods like pizza should be taken in major moderation or avoided almost entirely if one has things like Metabolic Syndrome or a history of heart disease.


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## Captainnumber36

Any good snack ideas?


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## DaveM

Captainnumber36 said:


> Any good snack ideas?


Try frozen blueberries on yogurt such as Dannon Blueberry or Strawberry Light and Fit Greek Yogurt. It's like nutritional candy.


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## Bigbang

Captainnumber36 said:


> Any good snack ideas?


Rather than say what I might eat I would go on youtube for ideas. Dr Essentlyn, a retired surgeon, who wrote books and published studies on the effects of food on health has family members who do videos on preparing healthy food. One video is on snacking on good stuff. For example, how to use popcorn without butter and buying processed popcorn and so on.


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## SixFootScowl

Captainnumber36 said:


> Any good snack ideas?


This. Half a bag per sitting:









Or this. Several fistfulls at a sitting:


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## Jacck

Captainnumber36 said:


> I'm still looking for a more filling dinner option that is still healthy. My salads weren't filling me up enough, any ideas would be greatly appreciated!


peanuts. They are very hard to digest and will stay in your stomach for a very long time, so that you will not become hungry


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## starthrower

Don't eat too many or you may end up with some nasty gas pains.


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## Captainnumber36

I went with Pork Cracklins for snack, a little bit of fat!


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## Open Book

Trader Joe's makes salt-free tortilla chips, their own brand. They're delicious. I won't buy any other kind to go with my homemade chili. They are real food without the salt, not junk food. I don't know anyone else who makes salt-free tortilla chips any more, unfortunately.

Too much salt is poison. Yet I think it is addictive.


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## SixFootScowl

Open Book said:


> Too much salt is poison. Yet I think it is addictive.


That's what they have told us for decades, but I have been hearing otherwise. However, you want a quality brand and type of salt. I eat this:


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## Captainnumber36

So the Cracklins were gross, so I'm going to return the other packets I bought. Maybe I'll try trail mix/pretzels this time!


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## Captainnumber36

I tried Yoplait light yogurt varieties and it was delicious!


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## SixFootScowl

Captainnumber36 said:


> So the Cracklins were gross, so I'm going to return the other packets I bought. Maybe I'll try trail mix/pretzels this time!


I tried some cracklins that were from a health food producer and they were disgusting. I left them out at the office. Anything will get consumed at the office. I even saw canned oysters get consumed there!


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## Bigbang

Captainnumber36 said:


> I'm still looking for a more filling dinner option that is still healthy. My salads weren't filling me up enough, any ideas would be greatly appreciated!


As I do not know your background it is hard to know what you are asking. Of course salads are not filling unless it contains the "stuff" loaded on top, to fill you up. If I assume you are looking at heart health (cholesterol) and sugar intake (pre/diabetes--and sugar is merely one aspect of the issue), then you want to stay away from processed food as much as possible, including the snacking issue. For example, before I would eat peanut filled pretzels(processed) I would buy organic peanut butter (not hydrogenated) and spread on late july tortilla chips. In other words, take each snack you like and find the best substitute for it. Yogurt and blueberries might taste good but yogurt (depends on fat/sugar) has saturated fats and sugar. I buy wasa crackers and spread organic blueberry/strawberry spread on it for the times I want something sweet. The first ingredient is the fruit and organic sugar is second, I can see the actual fruit pieces. This is important because more weight is given to the fruit.

I will buy cans of black beans/corn/diced tomatoes/can breast chickens...throw it all in a big container and eat half (microwave/stove) then again the next day. I get something from the food but salt is always higher in cans so one might rinse the corn/beans but I prefer all the juices. But this works well in a hurry. I heat edamame pods in microwave and pop them out and eat them as a snack..sometimes salt but can be eaten as is after cooking. I buy tasty bite indian lentils and use pasta/rice/cauliflower/broccoli as a base. But when I want to fill up on a large meal, I simply go more portions--more beans and rice (beans are filling) so I will eat 15 oz of beans with plate of rice, add a bake chicken/fish of your choice. If you do not own a crock pot---invest in one. I will cook lentils and eat for days. Brown rice..two days worth. I know eating greens seem not to fill up but you can eat more of them and beans to fill up and lose weight as you might not be taking in foods that seem to contribute to not getting benefits from eating healthy. I eat nuts/peanuts as snack. Obviously, the label should be the nuts and salt or not and the oils, otherwise you will be adding stuff that may not suit you. I thought I would throw this out there...


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## DaveM

Bigbang said:


> Yogurt and blueberries might taste good but yogurt (depends on fat/sugar) has saturated fats and sugar.


Presumably, you were referring to my suggestion. However, the Dannon Light and Fit Greek Yogurt I recommended has no saturated, or for that matter, any fat and has only 8gm of carbs (6gm sugars which is minimal) compared to the 15-40gm of other yogurts.


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## Luchesi

Captainnumber36 said:


> So the Cracklins were gross, so I'm going to return the other packets I bought. Maybe I'll try trail mix/pretzels this time!


Health nuts are avoiding salt. It's a dangerous experiment. I know one lady who came down with thyroid problems and it took years to diagnose and treat.

"Dietary iodine intake is required for the production of thyroid hormone. Consequences of iodine deficiency include goiter, intellectual impairments, growth retardation, neonatal hypothyroidism, and increased pregnancy loss and infant mortality."


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## Bwv 1080

Luchesi said:


> Health nuts are avoiding salt. It's a dangerous experiment. I know one lady who came down with thyroid problems and it took years to diagnose and treat.
> 
> "Dietary iodine intake is required for the production of thyroid hormone. Consequences of iodine deficiency include goiter, intellectual impairments, growth retardation, neonatal hypothyroidism, and increased pregnancy loss and infant mortality."


But iodine is a chemical, so it must be bad. I don't put any chemicals in my body


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## Luchesi

That's what she said.


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## Bigbang

DaveM said:


> Presumably, you were referring to my suggestion. However, the Dannon Light and Fit Greek Yogurt I recommended has no saturated, or for that matter, any fat and has only 8gm of carbs (6gm sugars which is minimal) compared to the 15-40gm of other yogurts.


I looked it up...because of no "fat" they added artificial sweetener to the sugar ingredients. I do not eat yogurt but in the past ate cereal with milk, ice cream, cheese of various types. Now it is about when I might have ice cream. I pick my food choices but I know it adds up and this is the main thing to look for when it becomes too much. I would not call it healthy to eat all the time but I would look for ways to get treats that I could eat more often. Again, this is just my opinion as I try to stay away from artificial sweeteners.


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## Bigbang

Bwv 1080 said:


> But iodine is a chemical, so it must be bad. I don't put any chemicals in my body


Too many "missing" things here. Iodine is available in salt and some sea salts have some and some don't. Question is how people are getting salt in their diet. I don't put much faith in stories but I do not see how people can avoid it unless they really try hard, and then the question is what other medical issues are involved.


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## Bwv 1080

Bigbang said:


> Too many "missing" things here. Iodine is available in salt and some sea salts have some and some don't. Question is how people are getting salt in their diet. I don't put much faith in stories but I do not see how people can avoid it unless they really try hard, and then the question is what other medical issues are involved.


I only consume chemical-free and gluten-free organic Himalayan salt


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## DaveM

I insist that the salt I eat is authentic NaCl.


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## Luchesi

"Dr. Gargi Sharma says that we should really only be eating 4-5 cashews a day. Super disappointing. It’s recommended not to go over that amount for various reasons but one of the more unique reasons is that some people might be sensitive to the amino acids tyramine and phenylethylamine in the nut and it can cause headaches."


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## starthrower

Who can open a can of cashews and eat four of them? Better not to buy them. I've been eating pistachios lately. Way more that 4-5 at a time.


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## Bigbang

starthrower said:


> Who can open a can of cashews and eat four of them? Better not to buy them. I've been eating pistachios lately. Way more that 4-5 at a time.


Exactly. And why I eat with other nuts as cashews are supposed to be one of the worse (carbs) for sugar control. Regardless, I eat way too many almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts, walnuts, period. I had a well known doctor (who advises against too much fats--and nut have fats though called the good fats but still fats...) remind me that in the old days people had to crack the shells to get to the nuts, thus you worked for each nut, and did not easily overeat. Now, you buy them already processed and easy to overeat. Even pistachios come without shells.


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## Luchesi

starthrower said:


> Who can open a can of cashews and eat four of them? Better not to buy them. I've been eating pistachios lately. Way more that 4-5 at a time.


Pistachios contain l-arginine, which makes the lining of your arteries more flexible thereby reducing the chances of developing blood clots that could cause heart attacks, and vitamin E, which is essential for the body.


Around 5 to 7 of them a day are considered healthy. It also provides you with 25 % of the daily value for vitamin B-6, 15 %t of the daily value for thiamine and phosphorus and 10 % of the daily value for magnesium.


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## SixFootScowl

Urushiol, the active ingredient in poison ivy, is present at varying concentrations in mango, cashew, and pistachio. I knew the cashew was in the same family as poison ivy, but did not know about the mango and pistachio. You never see cashews in the shell, but you do see pistachios in the shell. I wonder if the urushiol content in the cashew shell is much stronger. Here is more info:



> In the case of cashews and pistachios, urushiol is found in the shells; in mangoes it is found in the skin as well as where the stalk meets the fruit, which is where you sometimes find shiny, sticky urushiol beads. Cashews and pistachios are typically sold either roasted or steamed (store-bought "raw" cashews are really steamed cashews) to destroy urushiol. However, in the case of individuals who have hyper-vigilant immune systems, even these heat-treated nuts can result in allergic reactions. Mangoes are best washed in slightly warm water with a brush to remove residual urushiol beads, and then carefully peeled before eating. As with nuts, people with hyper-vigilant immune systems might have an allergic reaction even to carefully handled mangoes.


*Source Article*


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## DaveM

Bigbang said:


> I looked it up...because of no "fat" they added artificial sweetener to the sugar ingredients...


The added artificial sweetener is for the purpose of lowering the carbohydrates/sugars and is not because of the 'no fat'. You may choose to avoid artificial sweeteners, but a lot of people choose to use them to lower carbohydrate load which is important in reducing weight and lowering triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol.


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## Bigbang

DaveM said:


> The added artificial sweetener is for the purpose of lowering the carbohydrates/sugars and is not because of the 'no fat'. You may choose to avoid artificial sweeteners, but a lot of people choose to use them to lower carbohydrate load which is important in reducing weight and lowering triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol.


I agree about your point on adding artificial sweeteners. I was being brief in making a point that when fat is taken out of dairy products it will not be palatable so the company will add more "sweetness" as part of the overall taste. I am not sure what goes in as well to get more texture but as you say (I cannot speak for company strategy but I assume it is trickery so consumers will read only the "sugar" amount in grams.) people are looking at labels, but they are looking at fat too. Pretty clever to see something that is no fat, low sugar, and say, this is for me.

But, as a side not the artificial sweetener is not off the hook. Studies are always ongoing and not exactly a green light for consumers. For me, I would try to stay away from processed foods as much as possible. I am not adverse to actually eating products that have fats and sugar if once in a while, not every day. My personal preference is for cane sugar (organic) to be used in some of the products I buy.


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## DaveM

Bigbang said:


> I agree about your point on adding artificial sweeteners. I was being brief in making a point that when fat is taken out of dairy products it will not be palatable so the company will add more "sweetness" as part of the overall taste. I am not sure what goes in as well to get more texture but as you say (I cannot speak for company strategy but I assume it is trickery so consumers will read only the "sugar" amount in grams.) people are looking at labels, but they are looking at fat too. Pretty clever to see something that is no fat, low sugar, and say, this is for me.
> 
> But, as a side not the artificial sweetener is not off the hook. Studies are always ongoing and not exactly a green light for consumers. For me, I would try to stay away from processed foods as much as possible. I am not adverse to actually eating products that have fats and sugar if once in a while, not every day. My personal preference is for cane sugar (organic) to be used in some of the products I buy.


I agree that avoiding processed foods, particularly processed meat, as much as possible is a good idea.


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## Luchesi

DaveM said:


> I agree that avoiding processed foods as much as possible is a good idea.


Why? ..........


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## Bigbang

Processed is eating foods away from a more natural state. And so many added stuff to increased shelf life. So it is believed to contribute to diabetes/heart disease. Easy to read on it but this is a topic that can go on for a long time but better to keep brief here.


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## TMHeimer

My favourite food in the world is the Whopper. Just think of all the veggies on their, AND I can ask for extra pickles & oinions and Have It My Way. Too bad my Dr. advised this food only once a month. Wonder why?


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## senza sordino

I am currently taking a food challenge, along with someone special in my life. We are trying to eat forty different vegetables a week. The purpose is for gut health, with the idea that diversity in your diet encourages diversity in the bacteria in your gut. This is difficult. We are not sure if it includes fruits, which would help. Apparently, it's all to do with the fiber in your diet.

This past week, I ate nineteen different vegetables. And a couple of those were in very small quantities so you have to question do they count?

This coming week should be better as I have ordered more variety in my weekly food delivery.

The idea comes from this book, which neither of us have read, so we are not experts. 
Fiber Fueled by Will Bulsiewicz.


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## Joe B

senza sordino said:


> I am currently taking a food challenge, along with someone special in my life. We are trying to eat forty different vegetables a week. The purpose is for gut health, with the idea that diversity in your diet encourages diversity in the bacteria in your gut. This is difficult. We are not sure if it includes fruits, which would help. Apparently, it's all to do with the fiber in your diet.
> 
> This past week, I ate nineteen different vegetables. And a couple of those were in very small quantities so you have to question do they count?
> 
> This coming week should be better as I have ordered more variety in my weekly food delivery.
> 
> The idea comes from this book, which neither of us have read, so we are not experts.
> Fiber Fueled by Will Bulsiewicz.


Isn't that a Kiwi fruit on the cover? Looks like fruit counts.


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## senza sordino

Joe B said:


> Isn't that a Kiwi fruit on the cover? Looks like fruit counts.


That's what I asked and wondered, but I haven't read the book. And fruit certainly has fibre. (That's not a typo here in Canada)


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## Azol

Oh, I misread the title as "Hearty eating"!
Nothing to see here... :tiphat:


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## Flamme

Bought lots of bananas 2day...A banana a day keeps dark thoughts away!


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## Bigbang

senza sordino said:


> I am currently taking a food challenge, along with someone special in my life. We are trying to eat forty different vegetables a week. The purpose is for gut health, with the idea that diversity in your diet encourages diversity in the bacteria in your gut. This is difficult. We are not sure if it includes fruits, which would help. Apparently, it's all to do with the fiber in your diet.
> 
> This past week, I ate nineteen different vegetables. And a couple of those were in very small quantities so you have to question do they count?
> 
> This coming week should be better as I have ordered more variety in my weekly food delivery.
> 
> The idea comes from this book, which neither of us have read, so we are not experts.
> Fiber Fueled by Will Bulsiewicz.


A good way to burn out. Why not eat the vegetables/fruits you like, rotate and add new ones a little at a time. Humans did not evolve eating like that and certainly ate the same foods over and over depending on seasons and availability. Someone has to write a book and put some new spin on it.


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## Flamme

Bought lots of PEARS and lemons 2day...I like pears...


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