**RECIPES** Drinking Chia Seeds (without gagging)

**UPDATE**

I have CKD stage 3b and have learned that I have to watch my intake of chia seeds. 

Before you ever try something new in your diet, make sure to talk to your medical care team.

 Chia seeds are a great source of fiber, highly nutritious, high in antioxidants, a good source of protein, and omega 3. 

You can get a nice fix of seeds by mixing them into food, cereals, and baked goods.

Or - and this is the quickest way to ingest them - you can drink them. People make chia water or add chia to their juices. 

Personally, I have a slight aversion to the texture of soaked chia seeds. I can deal better with them in a juice because it reminds me of drinking aloe juice with the pulp. Otherwise, I just feel like I'm drinking globulets of something. Ick.

So here is what I came up with and want to share with anyone interested. I dump the chia (about 2 tablespoons twice a day) into about 8 ounces of water and drink it down before the seeds plump. 

Of course, I do have to swish some follow-up water to rinse away any residual seeds from my mouth and teeth but I don't mind. 

Because I'm not crazy about wet seeds, I bake them into this cookie recipe. (My alterations below the recipe.)

Apologies to Allrecipes but showing an image was easier than typing out the recipe because my brain is on off-mode today.

Source Link 
Allrecipes.com

My alterations & notes:

• I omit the raisins so my cookies are flatter. Adding an extra tablespoon or so bulks them up or you can add more oats.
• I omit the coconut flakes and double up on the seeds. I go overboard with chia, flax and sunflower. I also add about 2 tablespoons of ground flax.
• I once cut back slightly on the dry sugars. Instead of 1 cup each, I did about 3/4 cup each. And...
• I once substituted half the brown sugar with a golden monk fruit sweetener. This is the one time that I couldn't tell a huge difference in substituted sweetener.
• I once used 1 2/4 cup brown sugar (half light/half dark) and 2/4 cup white sugar for a total of 2 cups of sugar in the recipe. This was good but I really had to watch the bake time!
• As with any recipe, don't let the butter get too soft for creaming. I did this once and my cookies literally melted and stuck to the parchment. I couldn't even scrape them off and ended up wasting all those precious ingredients...
• I tried adding a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses once and this gave the cookies a darker bake and a slightly sweeter texture. Watch your bake though, the extra sweetness can shorten the time in the oven.
• This recipe can take a LOT of chia seeds. They are small enough that they don't over-bulk the dough.

This recipe is pretty forgiving and I've found you can play with a lot of the ingredients as long as your basic dry ingredients remain about the same.

The chia seeds kind of pop when you bite them

That's just one way to get a lot of chia seeds (and make your sweet tooth happy) but if you want to keep it healthier, stick to the waters. 

I do my first hit of chia water in the morning before I eat or drink anything else. I take another hit at night before bed (or earlier if I want to curb snack cravings). 

Knocking back the seeds this way is so much easier for me than dealing with wet clumps of them.

NOTE: I didn't find this out until I was prepping for this post. Apparently, if you have renal issues... 

oh, me, me!

:-(

...you should read up about ingesting lots of chia. Sucks for me. I will be checking with my docs since I am just borderline because of the sarcoidosis...

Peace

--Free

Bread, Bread, Bread for Life

  I rarely toot the horn of a site if I haven't used their services but I'm going to make an exception. Recently, I found this site and I'm kind of excited. I have been checking out their blog also. 

The only reason I ever found Food to Live (FTL) was because my doctor has warned me to get a bit more serious about eating healthier things. I'm not eating super-junky stuff but I need to go harder at the fiber and nutrients than I have been.

The first change I made was to cut out the sliced garlic and herb turkey deli meat I so love for sandwiches. I switched up and kept everything else except for the meat and bread. Yeah. I now use high-fiber bread instead of brioche or Italian white bread and I just enjoy it with the avocado, tomato, and yellow onion. It's a tasty sandwich. Because of the delicious bread and the avocado, I almost don't miss the turkey.

This Aldi's Ancient Grains is the bread I started to fall in love with:

I need to be able to control
that sodium level...

It's pricey though. Like around 5 a loaf. I wanted to try Ezekiel Bread or Dave's Killer Bread but their prices make the Ancient Grains look like nothing.

I've switched over to eating a lot of cabbage and other greens, white meat, and using good oils. When I was going over my budget, I realized I need to find a way to afford really nutritious bread. So...

My family has asked what I want for Christmas. My answer: bread machine. I picked out one that will let me add nuts and seeds or just prep the dough so I can finish the rest myself. Then, while looking for affordable seeds and grains, I found Food to Live.

FTL recipes are heavily vegan and I am not interested. I just want to be able to make my own sprouted grains and seeded bread. It has to be less expensive than keeping Killer Dave in business. Those prices!...

Normally, I am not a big eater of bread. However, I would rather get full from eating a highly nutritious bread than eating a ton of veggies and fruits. I can only take so much of salad and chicken. With the right bread - seeded with tasty nuts - I could go from breakfast to dinner on just that with some butter.

In case any of you are interested, here are some links I have found to recipes. Enjoy.

• Easy Dutch Oven Bread  this one not only looks good but I can't wait to use my Dutch oven for bread
• Fast No-Knead Multi-Seed Bread and this one... that bread looks amazing.
• Seedy Sandwich Bread with Sprouted Wheat I'm not as visually excited by this one, but I love the idea that it's with sprouted wheat.

I was happy to see that The Prepared Pantry had this helpful write-up on designing whole grain bread recipes. That will go up on my fridge.

This all has me very excited to get my hands on that bread machine! In the meantime, I am going to start trying some of these recipes by hand. Pictures (good or bad) will be coming up...

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Thyroid Support from Zhou Nutrition

This right here...

... is the subject of today's post.

That's the Zhou Nutrition supplement Thyroid Support with Iodine.

There is a reason I applied to test out this product. Bear with me for the story.

Just over a month ago, I started experiencing some weight gain. This is after I had worked so hard to lose the first 40 of the 45 pounds that was my goal. The weight gain hit at a time when I was also dealing with more fatigue than I'm used to. I knew that I had not been eating well because I hadn't had much of an appetite. Mostly, I was living off of soup and bits of deli turkey meat. I hadn't been getting much green stuff in my diet other than some of the green food powder that I'd put into some gel caps.

My initial reaction was to start drinking more water and making sure to get some black strap molasses on a daily basis. Black strap had almost miraculously increased my energy levels before, then I had started slacking on my intake.

When my energy was still down after a few days (and was even getting worse), I too tired to deal with anything other than crawling out of bed for a few hours a day. The next symptoms were really worrying. Almost overnight, I started to develop patches of dry skin on the lower inner sides of both feet - the area just above my arch line. No other part of my body was dry or irritated.

I talked to someone I know who told me to try adding some iodine to my daily diet. And, wouldn't you know that I just happened to have some J. Crowe's  around.

As soon as I began adding a few drops of iodine to my water and coffee (for at least 3 cups of beverages each day), I noticed that the drying skin on my foot stopped getting worse. The itch was disappearing withing the first few days and it looked as if the skin was healing.

My primary doctor was absolutely no use at all. I checked with him about the iodine and explained why I was taking it. His answer was just not to take too much iodine. Well, done, my physician, well done.

I have an upcoming appointment with my specialist and I trust him with the whole of my life. I will talk to him then. In the meantime,  I am taking the Thyroid Support (with iodine) from Zhou Nutrition. Since the supplement includes iodine, I'm not taking the J. Crowe's right now. What I was interested in is the ingredients listed in the T.S. supplement:

Here is some general info about the various ingredients:

• Iodine - deficiency... in the diet... Wikipedia
• Magnesium oxide - Warnings/Effects...Wikipedia... benefits of
• Zinc oxide - skin benefits/uses... various benefits/uses...Wikipedia
• Selenium - chelated minerals in general...General info... Wikipedia
• Copper oxide - uses/warnings
• Manganese - Wikipedia... uses/warnings
• Molybdenum - uses/warnings... how it helps
• L-Tyrosine - uses/warnings... stress reliever?
• Schisandra Powder - uses/warnings... another 'super fruit' ?
• Ashwagangha Root - uses/warnings... benefits of
• Bladderwrack Powder - uses/warnings... benefits
• Cayenne Pepper Powder - cayenne powder vs pepper
• Kelp - General info...  general info/benefits

When I just glanced over some of this info, I could see how all the ingredients (or the blend) could help with clearing up some of the skin issues I was having. This is what my feet look like after just using the iodine for a few days. They are getting better and I hope they will be back to normal after using this supplement for a while.

Everyone who knows me know that I take excellent care of my skin. It's a vanity thing in a way, but it's also the one thing I've always been able to control. So... yeah.

I know that a lot of my symptoms indicate thyroid issues. I have never had such problems so I'm interested in the relief I'm getting from the ingredients in this supplement.

I received the bottle on Tuesday and, even though it was after 5 o'clock, I took one tablet right away., then I took another tablet just before going to bed (about midnight). The recommended dose is no more than 2 tablets each day. On Wednesday, I took my morning dose and started doing some freelance work. At around 3 or so, I realized that I wasn't so wiped out. I have no idea if the supplement is supposed to start working so fast. I can't remember what time I took my second dose on Wednesday, but I can tell you that I woke up this morning not feeling like I was going to die of fatigue. Of course, I'm not seeing any weight loss yet. To be honest, I don't care if the supplement doesn't help me lose weight. Now that I am getting some pep back in my step, I will be able to make it to the gym. I'm already more active around the house and my pedometer step numbers are way, way up from the past weeks.

I'm going to have to do more checking up on all the individual ingredients listed on the label of this supplement but, in the meantime, I am overjoyed at the resurgence of energy. Until you have dealt with extreme fatigue, it's hard to understand how much it impacts your life. For me, either the fatigue or underlying symptoms, had me feeling so depressed that I was scaring myself. I was sleeping like Rip Van Winkle and, even when I was awake, I couldn't function. I completely dropped off the radar with Google Plus, and I wasn't able to do any work on the revisions for my short story collection.

Today, I feel more alert and my depression is nearly gone. I'm actually getting more than one thing done. The past several days, I could pull myself together only long enough to update a review, post some photos, or pay some bills online. After I finished one thing, I'd take 2- or 3-hour nap.

In a few weeks,  I will come back and update this post but, for now, I just want to say how much better I feel. I can't say what this supplement will do for anyone else, but it's been (so far) life-saving for me. I mean that literally. If I'd had to go on any longer with the fatigue and depression, I was going to be dialing a helpline.

If anyone else has dealt with the symptoms I've mentioned, please let me know about your experience. I'm looking anywhere and everywhere for information because I don't think that my primary care doc pays that much attention to me when I talk about my concerns. I have been spoiled to having the best doctors ever and this new one is just not that impressive in my opinion. I want to hear from other "real" people who can relate to the symptoms I've had.

To close, I want to mention Zhou Nutrition's site. Many of their products are available via Amazon (which helps for those of you with Prime membership). A nice Plus is that their guarantee will accept even your empty bottle.

Peace
--Free



DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned for free or at discount in exchange for my fair and honest review.

**REVIEW** Super Enriched Honey

My brother and I were having a discussion about this one the other night:

We both like honey, but he is allergic to bee stings. I know that he eats honey, but I wanted to ask if he knew about any of the other by-products (?) of honey and if he uses them. He told me that he still loves and eats honey (and even has a friend who is a hobbyist beekeeper!). He did not know about any of the stuff that is in this product: pollen, propolis, and royal jelly.

Ingredients

Each of those things is in this enriched honey, but I wanted to break down what they are and how I could use them so I did some online research:

pollen

• Bee Pollen (according to WebMD) is basically pollen that collects on the bodies of bees and might also include bee saliva. I was surprised to learn that honey, honeycomb, royal jelly, and bee venom don't contain bee pollen. It is known to be used in skin-softening products and dietary supplements. It's not safe for pregnant or nursing women and, of course, could cause severe problems for people with pollen allergies. (I'm going to mention something about that in a bit.) Other sources mention that bee pollen is rich in amino acids and protein. (Here are some more claimed benefits.) 

propolis

• Bee Propolis (and, again, I'm going to steal straight from the info source) "is a resinous material that bees use to seal small cracks and gaps in the hive (beeswax seals the larger gaps). It’s made when bees collect resin from trees and other sources and mix it with a little bit of honey." Wow. I recently saw something about propolis being used to "accelerate" hair growth.

royal jelly

• Royal Jelly, according to WebMD, "is a milky secretion produced by worker honey bees." The "royalty" comes from the fact that it's used for the queen bee.

I find all that very interesting. One thing that alarms me a little is that I hear so many people talking about treating their pollen allergies with these bee products. I'm all about going natural and earth-central for healing and sustenance, but I also believe in caution and common sense. 

My brother is going to be checking this blog and doing some of his own research, but I have no known allergies, so...

Since I do care lots about my health, I budget out each month to purchase things that might be good for me. This enriched honey was one such purchase, but I almost got this one too:

The reason I decided not to get that one is because I can manage with the enriched honey for now. Maybe I will try that extract later. This is a comparison of nutrition labels:

propolis
extract

enriched
honey

Taste

Of course, nothing good for you will work if you can't stand using it. Good thing that I like the taste of this. 

mix of smooth and gritty

It's sweet, but not sugary-sweet. I'd say it's a nutty-flavored sweetness. The texture is a bit rough and gritty-like at first contact. Not bad, just not smooth like plain honey normally is. 

In general, I try to take in at least 1 tsp, three times a day. I'll generally do this just before I drink a lot of water.

Effects

Honestly, I thought that it would be a week or so before I would feel any of the energy I've heard other people talk about. That energy came on the first time I tried it. Maybe because I was a little bit tired when I took it? I probably wouldn't have noticed the added energy, but I was tired and dragging. I took about a teaspoon and a half, then drank some water. I'm not sure exactly how long it was - maybe half an hour - before I noticed that I was back up to speed. Actually, regular honey will give me a little boost, but this was a bit more intense. A nice surprise. 

I'm only on Day 3 with this, so I'll have to come back and update on whether or not the longer term effects are different. 

Because I have used honey on my skin (as a rinse-off mask) and hair (to heal damage), I want to try this out that way. I'm still debating with myself on that. The jar cost me about $11 at the local store. I'm not sure how much of this it would take to treat my face and neck. If I do try this out as a topical beauty treatment, I will sure post about it! LOL

I think I've hit my limit for honey products. I've tried it all at this point. Well, I haven't tried the Manuka honey and probably won't be able to afford to for a while, so... Maybe I will check to see if I can find the Manuka sold in tiny quantities. Oh well.

Peace

-Free

Disclaimer: I am not, of course, a medical professional of any sort. You should communicate with your healthcare providers and practice common sense and safety when using natural products. 

**REVIEW** Suja Organic (organic juices)

My weight has gone up. Again. Probably has something to do with the fact that I tried eating way through North Texas...





(None of those photos show my chowdowns at WhatABurger, ChicFilA, Jack in the Box, Sonic or the aisles of Kroger...)

The last week that I was there, I slowed down and tried eating healthier. I discovered a love for sushi (as long as it is cooked) and certain seafood is cheaper there in Costco. I took up walking because of the amazing trail system that is near my niece's house. By the way, I wish that more places had a color-coded system of walking/biking trails. I think that having such an even terrain and safe place to walk would be a huge motivation for people to get in shape.

As part of my diet, I tried to drink a lot more water. Also, I tried out a couple of juices that are new to me. This is the first one I tried out:

 It's "Sweet Beets" by Suja Essentials. I picked it up because I love beet juice and the other ingredients are nice. The one ingredient that I had never tried was tumeric. Because of the other flavors, I can't describe the taste accurately, but it didn't take away from the light and mellow sweetness of the drink. What it did do was, uh... "move" me. After just one bottle (which I sipped out of over about two hours), I was doing 'eliminations' like nobody's business. Really. Nobody needed to be involved with that.

I've been looking around for the same blend of "Sweet Beets" but can only find this one of "Berry Goodness" here in Anchorage.

Of course, I haven't yet been to all the local stores to look for the brand.

The only downer to this product is the price. In Texas, I paid $2.50 each for 2 bottles (because there was a store sale). In Anchorage I paid around $3.50 for the one bottle. Crazy, right?

Since I like the "Sweet Beet" brand, I plan to juice the combination of ingredients myself. As much as I like the brand, if I can't find a better price, I will probably only buy it once in a blue moon. BUT, for anyone who can afford it, the juice is pretty terrific. Both blends taste great and they aren't too thin or thick. I could actually use one as a meal substitute. Also, in the warmer weather, the juice was super refreshing and cooling.

Oh - speaking of meal replacement,  there is one other thing about these juices: the calorie content is up there. For the "Sweet Beets" it's 210 calories for a 12-oz bottle (plus 65 mg of sodium, 40g sugar and 49g in carbs). "Berry Goodness" is 190 calories (0 sodium, 36g sugar and 44g carbs).

Yeah.

Just like with most "healthy" juices, you have to watch the nutrition labels for the real story. I was only looking at the brand's hype label when I purchased the juice. They do have great hype.

I think that a lot of us focus on the 'organic' notice and ignore the breakdown of the content. There is good and not-so-good in the two juices I tried.

Plus side: "Sweet Beets" daily value is 90% Vit A and 4% of calcium (but only 1g dietary fiber and 2g protein).

The "Berry Goodness" values are high in Vit C at 42%, with 5% iron and4% calcium. Fiber is 2g and protein is 1g.

Since my body reacted to the "Sweet Beets" in ways that it never has to the other ingredients, I figured I needed to learn more about turmeric. I've only ever heard of it being used to season food. What I learned is that it does have a laxative effect. Also, I wanted to be aware of any possible cautions and side effects. I don't love that whole "stimulating the appetite" part!

Bottom line: I really enjoy the juice (at least the 2 I've tried), but the cost is up there right along with the calories. This is something that will be a splurge treat - maybe in place of a fatty coffee? - but not one that I can indulge often.

By the way, I have re-joined the gym and am working to be in top shape before the sun warms Anchorage again. That should give me ample time!

Peace
--Free


NOTE: I was calling the whole brand "Suja Essentials" but, as you can see on their site, "Essentials" is just one of a line of several types of juices. Sorry about that Suja!

Decorative Dietary Fiber? Yep.

A few years back, when I first started juicing, I ran across an unusual piece of fruit. Tried it, loved it, but didn't get any photos.

Yesterday, I found the fruit at my local grocery store. Yay!

This is the dragon fruit. Or the pitaya.

Top: fruit has been removed
Bottom: Fruit still in the rind

When I was adding my own photos for this post, I found this one online.

Notice that mine didn't have this color of meat inside. Huh.

Now I want to find a piece of fruit with that deeper color of meat. Pretty. By the way, the source for that photo has an awesome smoothie recipe!

Other than being so very, very pretty, it's got a lot of dietary and tasty benefits:

• High in fiber
• Low in calories
• Low in cholesterol 
• Very "meaty" 
• Good source of antioxidants
• Pleasant taste (sort of like a blander kiwi fruit)

Here is a link to more info about and benefits of the fruit. I didn't even know about the fats and Vitamin C until I saw this page. 

If you are thinking of trying it, these links could be useful:

• Some caloric info and recipes
• How to choose, cut and serve the fruit
• Wandering Chopsticks has a recipe I can't wait to try
• Golubka Kitchen even has a salad recipe

So, there are a lot of ways to use this fruit. I kind of wish I could just shellac the shell and use it as decoration! 

Of course, it's kind of pricey. Everything tends to be more expensive up here, but I'm always surprised at the close to $9.00/lb price for this fruit. Thankfully, one piece is enough for at least 2  or 3 uses in juicing.

The advantage to this being such a pretty piece of fruit is that the shell can be used when serving it. 

(source)

(source)

If anyone has any other recipes, let me know.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Dr Miller Miracle Tea - OR Cleansing Naturally (part 3 of 3)

This is going to be a long post, but I hope it's useful for anyone looking to switch up their eating habits. (By the way, Amazon has already credited my refund. Love those guys!)

Now that I've experienced the Miracle Tea and found that it just doesn't work for me, I figure this is a good time to resort back to a proven method for cleansing my body (colon and all).  The tea might be fine for most people, but I am going to get back to basics with my situation.

I've gone through many changes and challenges with food. I've done well and not so well. And I am going back over and taking a look at some of those situations. To give myself, some credit, I haven't done so badly with my nutrition in the past few years - at least when I'm actually thinking about what I eat.

For me, right now, back to basics means just eating right. If I do that, I shouldn't have to do any kind of cleanse, right? And I know that changing up my diet actually does work. So, I have changed it up. Or, rather, gotten back to some of the basics.

Pretty basic, right?

 When I was getting back into shape post-prednisone, I indulged in lots of fruits and vegetables. I love almost any kind of fruit, but I'm picky about vegetables. I had to learn to get a good intake of all kinds of veggies in a way that I could enjoy them. Also, eating healthy is stressful unless you do enjoy it.

You might remember my trusty blender. You know, from the first time I was on a detox.  Even after I finished losing most of the weight I wanted to, until a few months ago, I still enjoyed doing what I call a veggie binge on a regular basis.

Still trusty, after all these ye- uh, months

A "veggie binge" is what I do for a few weeks when my body is feeling out of sorts. I will do nothing but a massive amount of vegetables (via smoothies and salads) for three or four days of a week and, for the rest of the week, eat just about anything but bread and other starches.

This binge seems to re-regulate my body and boost my energy levels. If I was smart (or disciplined) enough, I would never go off the binge. That's what I'm going to try to work up to this time: adopting the binge as a lifestyle.

The key to this kind of diet is to shop smart. Here in Alaska, fruits and vegetables can be pricey (especially during the winter months) so you have to always stick to a really defined food budget. You have to cut out those "treats" of cafe-bought coffee and any food bought through a drive-through window. Also, you have to spend a little more time planning food prep.

This is not all as tricky as it might sound. At least not for me. I just have to not be lazy about my food needs. And there are so many benefits to eating better - especially for someone with health problems. Me.

First, let's look at some of those benefits:

• You can handle a lot of common physical complaints with changing up your diet: fatigue, constipation, mental sluggishness, skin and hair issues, etc.
• Even with my more serious health issues, I can get some relief from changing my diet. I lost weight which helped SO much as far as my joint pain; eating right cleared out some of the toxic feeling I got from being on different medications; drinking more water and eating certain things certainly helped my kidney function. 
• In my opinion, eating healthier helped my mental state. Instead of taking anti-depressants, I looked to natural sources of vitamins and minerals to help me. Depression is a big problem when you have a chronic illness - just because of the way a disease affects every other aspect of your life. I still have my moments, but those moments are worse when I'm not eating well.
• Controlling your weight is easier when you are satisfying your hunger correctly. If I'm going to overeat, I guess it's better to overindulge with foods that are giving me good nutrients instead of empty calories.

Common sense tells you that things like better nutrition, good rest, and less stress equal better overall health. Before I was diagnosed with my sarcoidosis, I was smoking like a house on fire, rarely eating right, not resting very well and, Lord knows, I had a bunch of stress to deal with. I always wonder if the sarc would have remained dormant if I had treated my body better.

My health is still nowhere near where I'd like it to be but, if I hadn't listened to my doctors and changed up my nutrition for several months, there's no telling how much worse off I'd be now. And, trust me, I don't want to get worse.

Anyway, Amazon has agreed to refund my money for the tea, so I was able to hit the stores and stock up for at least a two weeks of a veggie binge. You saw what I've been eating/blending for the past couple days. Here's what I got from the store:

It's actually dark PURPLE

• Collard greens
• Turnip greens
• Red Cabbage
• Broccoli crowns
• Apples
• Beets
• Raw almonds
• Soy milk (vanilla flavored)
• Vine tomatoes

Luckily, I already had on hand some things that I can use:

• Chaga nectar
• Green tea powder
• Raw spinach
• Raw ginger

By the way, I don't care what anyone says, I don't count tomato as a fruit. I'm going to use the apples and soy as my sweetening agents to mask all those veggies. 

Having just enough fruit to sweeten the blend is my trick for getting all those veggies ingested. Sometimes, I will add a tablespoon of frozen OJ (no water added) into the mix, but I forgot to get some.

I will do a approximately 20-ounce smoothie to get me through the main part of the day. Sometimes, that's enough but, if I'm still hungry for something, I will do salads the rest of the day. By "salad" I mean all veggies, no mixed dressing. My favorite salad is to drizzle extra virgin olive oil over some of the green veggies, add some sliced tomatoes and onion, then hit with a little salt and pepper. The tomatoes and olive oil make a kind of dressing of their own. Since we still have a bunch of eggs around, I might boil one to throw on top.

For the non-binge days, I will eat a really well-seasoned pork chop or piece of chicken that's baked or fried (yes, fried - but in olive oil) or I will snack on summer sausage and cheese. I can do without bread if my meat is good enough. Also, I can be satisfied with a snack of canned smoked clams or fish. By the way, I really have to watch my calcium intake, which is another reason I have to alternate my binge days with non-binge days.

If I do get tempted to snack on something not so nutritious, I just do it and move on. My biggest weakness is if someone comes home with pizza. I love pizza. Luckily, we hardly ever do pizza without a salad, so...

Anyway, I'm attempting to use the app that came with my latest phone. You know - the one I got to replace one went blizto right in the middle of a family crisis. Well, the app is pretty cool and not that hard. Just takes discipline to actually use it and pay attention to it. It's Samsung's S Health. The food tracking part of the app is a little bit annoying. Inputting is tricky and sometimes requires converting things. I hate math.

Looks like a lot of food, doesn't it?

I want to stick with this healthy eating plan - not for months at a time like I've previously done, but for life. For life. Hmmm.

If you are thinking of changing up your nutrition, maybe this will help:

This is what the Mediterranean Diet looks like (according to some sources)

And this is what I imagine most people eat. 

(And for the folks who claim it's how many calories and not where you get those calories, I disagree. That might work for weight loss, but we have to eat healthy food for better health.)

Which one more closely resembles yours?

This is some comparative information -

• Differences between the 2 diets and again
• Modern Mediterraneans might be slipping into unhealthy eating 
• Looking at healthy eating
• And then there's the Okinawa diet

The bottom line is that there are plenty of ways to eat healthy, every individual has to make the choice. Making good choices when there are so many bad alternatives around takes discipline and commitment.

I'm ready.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I recently heard about and tried the Smoocing (lite) app. It's for people who do juices & smoothies. My review is the only one up on Google Play as of today, if you care what I think about it.

**REVIEW** Nutritional Yeast Flakes (by Sari Foods) ****UPDATED****

What if I told you about an edible product that:

• is Non-GMO
• is Vegan
• is Kosher
• is Halal
• is Gluten Free
• is Dairy Free
• is Low Sodium
• is Non-Toxic
• has No MSG

And, wait. What if I also told you that adding this product to your diet might help:

• Fight aging, promote cellular repair, and guard against free radicals
• Curb appetite and promote natural and healthy weight loss
• Boost immune system, energy levels and overall sense of well-being
• Increase memory, clarity and mental function; eliminate brain fog
• Improve sleep; reduce insomnia, depression and ongoing fatigue
• Balance hormones, improve mood and reduce feelings of irritability
• Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers

Since this was the first I was hearing of nutritional yeast, I wanted to check out some information. When I saw how it's "often high in B-12" (and could potentially cause some calcium deficiency), I wanted to know more about it. I am still reading what doctors have to say about nutritional yeast flakes, but at least one of them has a positive take.

But back to the flakes I am getting to try out.

Okay, so first thing that you could say is that I copied all of that right off the back of the package of the product. I did, yes. This package:

This is Nutritional Yeast Flakes from Sari Foods. It's the first time I've heard of what I think must be a real "wonder food", but I wanted to give it a try. Let's face it, if the flakes do even half what the packaging claims, it's worth trying out, right?

I noticed two things right off when I saw the package. First, it was "Ancient Egyptian Superfood", then it was "P.S.: Tastes like cheese!"

Okay.

By the way, this is what the flakes look like:

Ingredients: Large nutritional yeast flakes (deactivated, dried yeast. Free of Candida Albicans.
They are flaky (obviously) and a little bit powdery. (Once I opened the package, I ended up storing the flakes in a plastic baggie because the original package seal was loose and prone to spilling.)

Once I got over my irritation with the package's seal, I looked around for something to try the flakes on. Usually, I try stuff by adding it to my coffee but, since I'm not interested in cheese-flavored coffee, I needed to go a different route.

First, I just dipped a finger into the flakes for a little raw taste test. And, um... No. There was a cheese-like flavor, but "like" yeast-flavored Cheese Puffs dust. Ick.

So, I moved on to adding the flakes to food. What better food to add something "cheese-like flavored" to than a burrito? Amma rite? Obviously. This way, the flakes weren't half-bad. Usually, for my version of the home-made burrito, I take a flour tortilla, add some seasoned ground beef (or taco meat), lettuce, tomatoes and a quarter to not-quite-half-a-cup of cheese. Just roll that bad boy up and get busy. This time, I used only a sprinkle of cheese and added roughly a tablespoon of the yeast flakes.

The verdict: Not bad. Not bad at all. I could get used to eating the flakes on the right food - which is great because I'll be get rid of some fatty stuff and (hopefully) benefiting from the flakes.

So far, all I've found to use it on is the burritos (and I love) those burritos. I think the trick is to use the flakes on any food that is bland and needs some added bang, or on foods that are well-seasoned and compatible with the cheese-like flavor. I have a holiday visitor who made the excellent suggestion for using the flakes on some homemade kale chips. That got me to thinking that the flakes would also be delicious when sprinkled on popcorn (similar to the way I use Parmesan cheese).

However you decide to use them (and there are plenty of recipes floating around), the flakes are worth checking out. Sari Foods will also email you an ebook of recipes for the yeast flakes and their other products.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE:
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I
only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

UPDATE: One of my regular (a favorite) blog readers had something to say about nutritional yeast that I want to share with you. The following are her comments/experiences (BTW: Thanks, dollface!)

I love this you have to be very careful what you choose to put it on...but overall it is delicious and it does taste like cheese especially when used on top of pasta dishes. it is very beneficial to a nursing mother it certainly helps increase your milk supply. I used brewers yeast, ground flax and natural oats to help with my milk supply with J. but the Brewers yeast was the most beneficial! One time while I was nursing I got a flu so terrible I was dehydrated and had to go in for fluids. I was so worried about my milk supply and we were running low on the stored bottles we had. I ate Brewers yeast on 2 meals in one day and the next day it was like everything was back to normal I even had extra. Brewers yeast is just another name for this.

Food and Choices

Finally, I've lost enough weight that I feel comfortable again in my clothes. I'm wearing pants that fit a little closer and tops that aren't made to hide things. My clothing choices really marked my journey from the prednisone poundage to the return to a more normal size for me. I didn't realize this until recently when I was tossing old clothes.

The first clothing milestone was when I went from wearing loose pants to prevent chafing to some that were less loose but didn't hug any curves. My tops went from extremely baggy sweater-types to still-baggy but not as thick. I think it was when I was able to see the slimming effects of leotards that I begin to feel like I was making real progress. Before then, any slimming products would just roll up and bunch at the waist and make me feel my blood pressure rise.

My happiest moment was when I was able to wear t-shirts again without feeling like a stuffed sausage. It's so nice now to put on clothes and feel comfortable. No matter what I wore at my heaviest, I always felt like I was bound and bandaged too tight by any fabric.

Now that I am at this point and aiming for my ideal weight, I can focus more on maintaining an intake of good food and nutrition (instead of fighting cravings and feeling guilty when I caved).

Looks sooo good. Except in a pair of jeans...

A lot of my friends and family have commented on my progress. If it helps anyone else, here are some things I've learned on this weight loss journey:

• As adults, we don't have to eat by set rules. Traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner is just that: traditional. I can have a salad for breakfast if that's what I want (and I often do).
• Canned food is underrated. I love smoked oysters, kippers, and clams. Sardines with crackers and olives is a favorite snack. (I have a best friend who likes to eat her fruit with hot sauce & spicy dips.)
• A meal does not have to have the traditional layout of a meat, vegetable and starch. Sometimes, I just have a piece of well-seasoned chicken or fish - or pork chop. I love a good chop.
• I've learned to eat outside my comfort zone. I've tried (and love) lamb. I'm learning to use more seasonings. (Love basil. Not crazy about cilantro.) I'm trying different kinds of breads and cheeses and sauces. Salt is not my go-to seasoning now that I'm finding other flavors.
• When I enjoy cooking a meal, I enjoy eating it. Instead of frying or baking everything, I'm learning new ways to prepare food. Who knew (I didn't) that there are 7 "basic" methods of cooking and even a list of 15 methods? If you want to go wild, you can try many, many more. The other day, I watched Guy Fieri cook some skewered meat between two cast iron skillets, one skillet place on top of the other. Neat.
• Fast food is not going to go away. If I want a burger or fries or tacos from someplace with a neon sign, I have it. I don't want any of that as much as I once did. I think my system has self-detoxed!
• It helps to learn what other (healthy) people are eating. Right now, I'm really interested in Mediterranean food, but it's interesting to search out what's known about the health of other cultures. I'm reading articles about the 10 "healthiest" and such.
• I think that any regional/cultural food can be healthy with some adjustments.
• Instead of eating (or not eating) to look good, I'm eating to live good.

Try it with hot sauce

My little brother and his wife have inspired me with their garden. I'm going to taste my way right through their yard when I see them! They were telling me about the fresh and "old-fashioned" taste of the veggies they've grown. (Hid your green beans, you guys. I'm on my way! LOL)

I want a garden. NOW!

As far as the suggestions, that's just me and my take on it, but everyone is different. You have to do what is "do-able" for you and your lifestyle and health needs. By the way, even if you are "skinny", you still need to eat well for your health. I have a very thin male friend who had a bypass in his mid-40's. Looked as good in a hospital gown as he did in his jeans...

Peace

--Free

Getting My Goat

Since I mentioned my new-found love for goat cheese, I thought I'd post about it.

I love cheese, but I'm picky. I like cheddar, natural cheddar, Colby, cream, Havarti, and Brie. My previous favorite was Havarti. My new fave: goat.

I can't describe myself as being adventurous about food. I have to be able to stand looking at something if I'm going to eat it. I'll try things if they sound like they taste good. This is how I learned that "crudites" is just a fancy-sounding word for raw veggies. Chopped raw veggies are sometimes affordable, but if you slap that word "crudites" on the menu, forget it.

Goat cheese is not something I ever thought I'd like. Goat doesn't sound tasty to me because I grew up hearing that they eat any and every nasty thing they can get their teeth on. And it's cultural. I grew up with cow milk, so the idea of eating cheese made of goat milk (or even moose milk!) is one I had to creep up on.

A family friend came into town with my niece for a visit. For the Fourth of July, she made some beautiful trays of hors d'oeuvres: sausages, pickled veggies, olives (yay!), garlic (yay!), and different cheeses. She sweetened the normally tart goat cheese with a touch of honey.

Oh my heavens! That was the best cheese I have ever let touch my tongue. (Thank you, Jamie!)

So, while shopping yesterday, I wanted to get some more goat cheese. So many brands and labels... I chose one based on best price:

Tastes good plain or with honey
(or jam or marmalade)

Then I saw this one and just had to have it-

- but I was getting over my grocery budget (or whatever it is you want to call the miniscule amount of money I get to spend on food). My sister, bless her, got it for me as a treat. I love my sister. Now I love this cheese.

Probably because I'm not cultured enough (see what I did there?), I can't really describe the taste of this cheese. For both the plain and candied, I can say that they are really super creamy and richly textured. The one with the cranberries and orange peel has the tart under taste that is yummy with the fruits. I mixed the plain cheese one with a touch of honey. That was how I tried it at our get-together. What I can't wait to do is just try the cheese plain with no sweeteners.

What's nice is that, apparently, goat cheese has lots of nutritional benefits. Here's one person's experience with (and info on) goat's milk products.

Because I like the cheese so much, I want to try the milk. I've been using soy milk, but I'm always open to alternatives and choices when it comes to flavor and health benefits.

Maybe we need to try all of them?

flavor & preference count

I've read some good things about goat's milk being beneficial to bone health and the immune system. That's a huge plus for me. I'm not ready for sheep milk yet, but I think variety is good. The main considerations are health and tolerance. Flavor is a big plus. I'll try almost anything that's going to help me heal and feel better. I've tried lots of milks. I wasn't crazy about rice milk and I only like using coconut milk as a sweetener, recipe addition or for cosmetic uses. Almond milk is about the same as vanilla soy for me. I don't drink it, I just use it in cereals and smoothies.

Now that I'm hip to goat's cheese, I'm looking forward to using it on baking recipes. I just know that it's right up there with cream cheese as pastry filling or cake frosting.  As soon as I get settled in "Mayberry" and have the kitchen set up, I'm stocking up on the cheeses and milks.

Peace
--Free