How to not eat SAD (Standard American Diet)

Posted by barefoothorseman @barefoothorseman, Apr 27, 2018

When I moved to the US my health went haywire. Autoimmune type symptoms began to appear in various parts of my body.

The reason was simple. I could not find the food that I was used to eating. So much American food is bad for me and most others I suspect.

The food in Australia is so different. Things like bread only last a few days, not weeks because it is not loaded with preservatives and chemicals. Most food is fresh, and not loaded with chemicals in Australia.

Last night I attended a meeting of cyclists, as I looked at all the food and drink that they served up, there was clearly nothing that I could eat because it was all processed and full of bad stuff.

We all know that our health is primarily reliant on what we eat or do.

So I'm looking for more ideas from people who are probably trying to eat better because they too probably have developed autoimmune type issues from food.

What do you look for when you have to eat out. I've not been very successful with salads, and there is a mountain of evidence that salad greens are a common source of E.Coli food poisoning.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autoimmune Diseases Support Group.

@peach414144

@ Dear barefoothorsman, .....throw a clean chicken, (or just the parts you like) into a large pot, put in carrots, onions, celery, cabbage,elephant garlic (a few pieces, peeled) yellow potatoes, cook for about 60, or 75 minutes and you have a delicious meal. Naturally you can use organic vegetables and garden raised chicken if you wishj. Stuffed cabbage with extra cabbage around your stuffed meatballs with ricecin the meat and some sourkraut on the top of the pot, but not the liqyud in the sourkraut cooked in a tomato sauce. These "old world" european dishes are great like thick green pea soup. Just a few good and healthy meals. Just for you and whomever reads this. Good luck With care, peach414144

Jump to this post

Every once in awhile, I see a picture of a Hamberger BBQ or any meat, and I think oh, Lee one won't hurt you. Last Thanksgiving, I went so far as to say, ok, I will have a piece of Prime Rib. NOT! it was horrible. It takes awhile to flush your system and go No red meat. I used to think that Vegetarians were Tree Huggers. Believe me, you have to be creative. I am not a VEGAN. I eat fish, especially Salmon, Shrimp and Crab. I also love Trout. Have you ever had very small trout that you just caught for breakfast> Or what about smoking them. Oh WOW. so good. I am about 4 years into my new eating habits. One wonderful thing is I feel lighter. I know I am not eating something that has been shot with hormones and whatever else. As a result, if I get a cut, or as recently had back surgery for crushed Vertabra you cannot believe how fast I heal. I am 76 and my only pain and suffering is what I do to myself Even with RA, I eat no RED meat. Forgive my spelling, I have no idea what is going on with my brain today... LOL One other thing, we need some salt, but STOP with the shaker and give it a chance and you will find that the food is so much better. 5 years ago I would have called a person lie me nuts. But no longer. I have gone from 159 to 147 and still working to get down to my 135. I don't want to go any lower than 135 as we need a bit of fat to tide us over when we go to the hospital or get sick. Just try it for a couple of months.

REPLY
@peach414144

@ Dear barefoothorsman, .....throw a clean chicken, (or just the parts you like) into a large pot, put in carrots, onions, celery, cabbage,elephant garlic (a few pieces, peeled) yellow potatoes, cook for about 60, or 75 minutes and you have a delicious meal. Naturally you can use organic vegetables and garden raised chicken if you wishj. Stuffed cabbage with extra cabbage around your stuffed meatballs with ricecin the meat and some sourkraut on the top of the pot, but not the liqyud in the sourkraut cooked in a tomato sauce. These "old world" european dishes are great like thick green pea soup. Just a few good and healthy meals. Just for you and whomever reads this. Good luck With care, peach414144

Jump to this post

Hi Teresa @hopeful33250, from what I've read Elephant garlic is milder than regular garlic. If I were a cook, I would probably equate a few pieces to mean chopping/mincing up one clove and use one of my fat fingers pinches of chopped up garlic. I did find some good advice on measurements for garlic:

-- http://www.foodsubs.com/Garlic.html#elephant%20garlic

About the only tasty thing I've ever made besides toast with peanut butter is Peel-A-Pound Soup back when I was in Weight Watchers and was scrounging for "free from points" stuff to eat. I could eat as much of the soup as I wanted.
-- https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/soup/vegetable-soup/peal-a-pound-soup.html

John

REPLY
@johnbishop

Hello @barefoothorseman -- This is a great discussion and question. It can be a challenge to eat healthy and sometimes when you think you are eating healthy you can be wrong. Eating out is always a challenge for me. I try to stay away from anything fried or processed. When I do eat out, a lot of times I will try and order grilled chicken breast or other meat and steamed vegetables if they have them. Then I try to avoid all of the condiments. I do order a lot of salads and don't worry about the e-coli unless there is a specific known outbreak in the region. I always get the dressing on the side so I control how much is used.

I have small fiber peripheral neuropathy and polymyalgia rheumatica which started me thinking that I need to do something. About the time I found Mayo Connect I was researching diet changes and ran across the Wahls Protocol book written by Dr. Terry Wahls. I read a blurb about her and how she pretty much eliminated many or most of her symptoms of MS through her own research on diet. I ordered her book which is what got me started on changing my lifestyle and trying to eliminate all if not most processed foods. She has an amazing story if you would like to read more about her:
-- https://terrywahls.com/about/about-terry-wahls/

She started me on my green smoothies for breakfast routine which I try to do 4 or 5 days a week. I also try to buy organic if I have a choice and we have a local farmers market that has great produce when in season. When I can't get that I opt for frozen fruit and veggies without anything added to them. I wished I liked fish so that I could add it to my diet. I get pretty nauseated if I try to eat it even though I know it's healthy, especially the fresh caught ones.

Good luck on your search. I hope you get lots of suggestions so I can use them too! Thanks for posting this discussion. ☺

John

Jump to this post

@johnbishop, John,I am the total opposite. I could eat fish everyday!(except salmon, that is a once in a blue moon thing)

REPLY
@johnbishop

Hello @barefoothorseman -- This is a great discussion and question. It can be a challenge to eat healthy and sometimes when you think you are eating healthy you can be wrong. Eating out is always a challenge for me. I try to stay away from anything fried or processed. When I do eat out, a lot of times I will try and order grilled chicken breast or other meat and steamed vegetables if they have them. Then I try to avoid all of the condiments. I do order a lot of salads and don't worry about the e-coli unless there is a specific known outbreak in the region. I always get the dressing on the side so I control how much is used.

I have small fiber peripheral neuropathy and polymyalgia rheumatica which started me thinking that I need to do something. About the time I found Mayo Connect I was researching diet changes and ran across the Wahls Protocol book written by Dr. Terry Wahls. I read a blurb about her and how she pretty much eliminated many or most of her symptoms of MS through her own research on diet. I ordered her book which is what got me started on changing my lifestyle and trying to eliminate all if not most processed foods. She has an amazing story if you would like to read more about her:
-- https://terrywahls.com/about/about-terry-wahls/

She started me on my green smoothies for breakfast routine which I try to do 4 or 5 days a week. I also try to buy organic if I have a choice and we have a local farmers market that has great produce when in season. When I can't get that I opt for frozen fruit and veggies without anything added to them. I wished I liked fish so that I could add it to my diet. I get pretty nauseated if I try to eat it even though I know it's healthy, especially the fresh caught ones.

Good luck on your search. I hope you get lots of suggestions so I can use them too! Thanks for posting this discussion. ☺

John

Jump to this post

We have been supporting a radio station in Nome, Alaska - KICY after going there one summer with the wife's sisters church group to do some summer helper work on a new generator building. In the winter the station director usually makes trips to a lot of the supporting churches for fund raisers and he ships fresh caught salmon and prepares it at each church. We've been to three of the dinners so far and they always have chicken for me ☺ My daughter loves the salmon and goes with us. As good as it is, I can get a small piece on the tip of my fork and swish it down quick, say yummy and go back to my chicken and veggies...and of course all the Norwegian home baked pies and cakes assortment.

REPLY

@johnbishop Thanks, John. That Peel-A-Pound Soup sounds good and easy to make!

Teresa

REPLY
@hopeful33250

@johnbishop Thanks, John. That Peel-A-Pound Soup sounds good and easy to make!

Teresa

Jump to this post

It is surprisingly good.

REPLY
@peach414144

@ Dear barefoothorsman, .....throw a clean chicken, (or just the parts you like) into a large pot, put in carrots, onions, celery, cabbage,elephant garlic (a few pieces, peeled) yellow potatoes, cook for about 60, or 75 minutes and you have a delicious meal. Naturally you can use organic vegetables and garden raised chicken if you wishj. Stuffed cabbage with extra cabbage around your stuffed meatballs with ricecin the meat and some sourkraut on the top of the pot, but not the liqyud in the sourkraut cooked in a tomato sauce. These "old world" european dishes are great like thick green pea soup. Just a few good and healthy meals. Just for you and whomever reads this. Good luck With care, peach414144

Jump to this post

@Some pieces are karge, others are small. But anyone can easily figure out how to estimate how many tablespoons. A A few pieces can be 2 tablespoons. Sometimes I put in 6 pieces or abbout 6 tablespoons. Elephant garlic tasts like garlic with a very low and sweet garlic taste. Peach414144

REPLY

Thanks, @peach414144 and @johnbishop

I like the sound of elephant garlic, I'll have to find it and give it a try.

Teresa

REPLY
@peach414144

@ Dear barefoothorsman, .....throw a clean chicken, (or just the parts you like) into a large pot, put in carrots, onions, celery, cabbage,elephant garlic (a few pieces, peeled) yellow potatoes, cook for about 60, or 75 minutes and you have a delicious meal. Naturally you can use organic vegetables and garden raised chicken if you wishj. Stuffed cabbage with extra cabbage around your stuffed meatballs with ricecin the meat and some sourkraut on the top of the pot, but not the liqyud in the sourkraut cooked in a tomato sauce. These "old world" european dishes are great like thick green pea soup. Just a few good and healthy meals. Just for you and whomever reads this. Good luck With care, peach414144

Jump to this post

@ The more you cut any garlic into small pieces the greater the taste. The larger the piece, then the sweeter the taste especially with elephant garlic. Therefore when I make a soup, especially chicken soup I place large pieces into the soup so the garlic can be distinguished from the other vegetables. ENJOY! peach414144

REPLY
@peach414144

@ Dear barefoothorsman, .....throw a clean chicken, (or just the parts you like) into a large pot, put in carrots, onions, celery, cabbage,elephant garlic (a few pieces, peeled) yellow potatoes, cook for about 60, or 75 minutes and you have a delicious meal. Naturally you can use organic vegetables and garden raised chicken if you wishj. Stuffed cabbage with extra cabbage around your stuffed meatballs with ricecin the meat and some sourkraut on the top of the pot, but not the liqyud in the sourkraut cooked in a tomato sauce. These "old world" european dishes are great like thick green pea soup. Just a few good and healthy meals. Just for you and whomever reads this. Good luck With care, peach414144

Jump to this post

Thank you for that tip Peach @peach414144 !

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.