Food and Health?

[Rattus]

I read today that drinking two diet soft drinks a day (and yuck to that) can lead to kidney malfunction.

[Google]

 

[Ellen]

I haven't had an artificially carbonated beverage (diet or otherwise) in nearly a decade. I don't miss them at all, and also believe I'm healthier for it.

[Columbia, MD]

Originally Posted by Rattus

I read today that drinking two diet soft drinks a day (and yuck to that) can lead to kidney malfunction.

Rattus -- This may be true. I occasionally drink a lemon-lime soda, but NO other since I am not allowed the caffeine due to kidney problems. There is also a theory out there that soda contributes to osteoporosis. There is so much controversy out there sometimes you don't know who or what to believe.

There are so many more healthy beverages to enjoy. And of course plain water.

[Rattus]

Originally Posted by Columbia, MD

Rattus -- This may be true. I occasionally drink a lemon-lime soda, but NO other since I am not allowed the caffeine due to kidney problems. There is also a theory out there that soda contributes to osteoporosis. There is so much controversy out there sometimes you don't know who or what to believe.

There are so many more healthy beverages to enjoy. And of course plain water.

I've been training myself for the past few weeks to enjoy green tea for its health benefits. Wasn't having much luck until I started adding a squirt of lemon juice, and that is quite delicious. I'm now thinking I may try it with a squirt of lime as well - lemon-lime tea. It sounds good in theory .

[Ellen]

Originally Posted by Rattus

I've been training myself for the past few weeks to enjoy green tea for its health benefits. Wasn't having much luck until I started adding a squirt of lemon juice, and that is quite delicious. I'm now thinking I may try it with a squirt of lime as well - lemon-lime tea. It sounds good in theory .

It's also good in practice!

[Columbia, MD]

Originally Posted by Ellen

It's also good in practice!

Yup!! I drink green tea a lot in the winter, and alternate it with herbal decaf teas. The herbal teas make wonderful iced tea in the summer. In fact, iced green tea is good, too. They have a wonderful green tea in The Cheesecake Factory. Of course eating there you have to be careful not to overload!! The portions are HUGE!!!

[GuardianAngel]

Originally Posted by Ellen

I haven't had an artificially carbonated beverage (diet or otherwise) in nearly a decade. I don't miss them at all, and also believe I'm healthier for it.

I haven't either. Gave that up years ago. Regarding the additives in food, I love all fruit. I eat at least 5 servings a day, I would eat more if I could get really good tasty fruit in the winter. Summer is no problem, I buy fresh fruit at our local market. When I go to Florida for vacations, I live on fruit all week.

However, over the last couple of years, I've been getting red rashes on my face. To make a very long story short, I now know, that I cannot eat strawberries, watermelon, grapes, pomegranate, tomatoes, and eggplant. I love all those foods. I've eaten them my whole life. Grapes are the worst, the rash appears on my forhead, down the side of my nose, across my chin, and cheeks. It takes a good week or two for it to subside. It's apparently rosacia.

I now have a ton of blueberries per week, along with a shot of pure blueberry juice everyday because of the antioxident content, to control it. Even if I don't have those foods, I still have a trace of it on my face. I'm trying to narrow it down as much as possible.

I'm convinced its the additives in our foods. I've been fortunate all my life with very clear skin, no acne or blemishes, so this is very frustrating.

[Gutmutter]

I've been on a new food health kick for 2 weeks now. It started with watching a Montel Williams infomercial for a blender ($$$) where he touted the health benefits of blending raw fruits and veggies together (with water). I have a juicer, but hate throwing away all the pulp and so many pieces to clean. My old blender bit the dust a couple years ago and I use my daughter's Magic Bullet for single serving smoothies. So at the beginning of the month, I got a Black & Decker Cyclone and a lot of fruits and veggies. Every day since, I start and end the day with these "smoothies" - I try a different combo every time, but some of the main staples are pineapple, apple, pear, canteloup, carrots, colored bell peppers, bananas. I also use frozen fruits that I can't get fresh. I'm loving it. Can't get enough and it's so filling I don't eat much else. I even make it before I start my coffee in the morning if I don't have a glass waiting for me in the fridge. Sometimes I take a big nalgene bottle of it for lunch. I have to consciously eat protein if I forget for a day or two. I figure my daily portion of almonds at my desk covers me a little there, and sometimes I add Kefir to the smoothie, so that's calcium. I started getting sick a week ago and it never developed. I mean, I was full-on total body ache when I got off work and it went away on its own. I'm around middle school kids all day and we just went through a huge H1N1 absentee streak.

[Wind Dancer]

Gutmutter--hi.

About that pulp--that's rhe main reason I don't have a food processor that and the cost of a really good one). The pulp is really good for most people. For example--the white part of the orange--called the "pith"--is the part of the fruit that has the most anti-oxidants in it.

So I eat my fruit raw and try to eat many different kinds of fruit over the course of a week. I do buy some bottled smoothies from a good produce store. That works well for me on addition to the fresh fruit.

I also don't drink any carbonated drinks--except a little in the summer (in the desert) and I don't really miss those. And I use fruit for my "dessert." Or at any time when I start to crave something sweet.

I was raised not eating much fruit but now that I eat a lot regularly I realize that I actually crave fresh fruit when I don't have it for a while. For me that's a huge--and IMO good step in the right direction.

[Gutmutter]

I like to think I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, but when I keep a food journal for diet purposes, I find I have to intentionally add them when I see I'm not getting enough. I'm sure my blendered fruit/veg craze will fade, but right now I crave it and don't eat a lot else. Sometimes I want something hot or know I need to eat protein/dairy so I do. Since the "smoothies" are heavy on fruit, I'm making my crockpot veggie soup today. It has black beans in it which are good for you, too.