food is fuel

Lately I've been questioning my existence where food is concerned. As I've entered into my 30s, I am learning better what foods make my body function well and what foods, well, don't. Especially as I increase my mileage and training pace while running. I can feel when a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast gave me energy for a 10-mile run and when the salmon the night before wasn't quite what I needed the night before a tempo run but might have been perfect for lunch right after a strength training session. And I can't remember exactly what got me started on this soap box, but I was looking for milk alternatives to my diet several weeks ago. EZ's gastrointestinal capabilities don't take too kindly to milk, not to mention the fact that commercialized milk today isn't great. (In fact, if you read too much about it, it's downright gross).

But when we start to delve into the ins and outs of what it really means to eat well, well... it gets overwhelming. Is organic really best? What if I can't afford to buy everything organic? How do I even know if it really is organic? Am I slowly killing my children by feeding them beef and chicken loaded with growth hormones and conventionally produced fruits and vegetables slathered in pesticides? And where the heck does a person go to buy raw milk and cheese?

The other day I got deep into Food Renegade. It all sounds good theoretically, but guys. I'm a lazy mom. The thought of soaking sprouted wheat in buttermilk overnight exhausts me. And I'm not going to pay $10/gallon for "real" milk. Also, I don't want to feel guilty about the fact that I'm gonna take my kids to Chick-Fil-A sometimes.

But I like eating well! I feel good when I maintain a clean, healthy diet and I am using fresh ingredients and whole foods. Pre-packaged foods, the insane amount of snacks that grace our grocery aisles, and various other modern conveniences have given us a quick ticket to childhood obesity, adult onset diabetes and alarming rates of heart disease. Some would say our Western society's tendency toward excess is ruining the planet as a whole, right down to the total depletion of Mother Earth's resources (I'm not here to wax political or downplay my love for Pepperidge Farm Mint Milanos). But society isn't going to change overnight. However, I can start by taking a look at what's in my kitchen. It all begins in the home. And really, everything out there must be read with a grain of salt, because baby steps to healthier lifestyles are all that we can ask of ourselves. But the bottom line is that food affects our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Food is fuel.

I asked my mother-in-law, Pam (infamous among family and friends for making flavorful, healthy, and healing food), and my friend Andrea (fellow group fitness instructor and figure competitor) for their list of the top ten (or more) foods that should grace every health-conscious foodie's kitchen:

Pam's List:

1. Garlic
2. Ginger
3. Tomatoes
4. Broccoli
5. Milk (or yogurt)
6. Almonds
7. Eggs
8. Olive Oil
9. Apples
10. Fat free chicken broth
11. Spinach
12. Extras: Butter, lemon or lime, fresh cilantro, fresh Italian parsley (I am here to vouch that cilantro and parsley are the perfect way to spruce up any dish from Mexican to Italian to Thai - to keep fresh herbs lasting longer, wash them, wrap them in a paper towel, put them in a plastic ziploc bag and stick them in the freezer; they should keep well for a good month).

Andrea's List:

1. Egg or egg whites
2. Oats
3. Walnuts
4. Whey Protein
5. Ground Turkey
6. Green Beans
7. Spinach
8. Sweet potatoes
9. Blueberries
10. Dark chocolate!!

I keep pretty much everything on these lists. Except I would also include frozen strawberries, blackberries (if they are in season) and bananas on my list of foods that I keep stocked in my kitchen. I love smoothies and so do my kids. Blackberries make a nice addition of antioxidants over a morning bowl of oatmeal. Not to mention the fact that the potassium found in a little banana helps keep muscle cramps at bay. FYI, to obtain the most benefit from a particular workout, it is important to eat within 30 to 45 minutes after exercising. Preferably something that is digested quickly and effortlessly, which makes whey protein in the form of a shake a great option. Consuming protein (to rebuild your muscles and amino acids) with a little bit of carbs is probably the best thing to eat immediately following a workout. I generally blend a scoop of whey protein (Isopure), water or a milk alternative, a banana, and blend it in my Magic Bullet (which, by the way, is the best invention ever). This has been my routine for the past several months, and I've noticed a better recovery and bigger results with this rather than reaching for a bowl of cereal or spinach salad.

There is no single diet in the world that will be right for everyone. We are unique individuals with unique nutritional needs. A fitness runner is going to need a different kind of diet than a figure competitor, and a petite, Asian woman is going to need a different diet than a 40-year-old Caucasian man. But all of us can benefit from eating nutritious, whole foods in the way that nature intended for them to be consumed - sans additives and preservatives and any other "-ives." I read somewhere that Americans tend to spend less than 10 percent of their income on groceries whereas Europeans spend about 20 percent. I think that maybe the Europeans have it right. I say it's better in the long run to invest in good, wholesome food rather than on more stuff. Here's to eating well and eating clean!