THOUGHTS  ON FOOD

At the root of any sustainable lifestyle model is food.  Politics and environmental costs of production aside, what nutritional guidelines should we adopt, if not for optimum health, to at least postpone pain, suffering and healthcare costs as we age?  Everybody reacts to food differently so there are few rigid universal shoulds or should'nts.  Each of us has; foods we should avoid, foods that are fuel, and foods (superfoods) that are highly beneficial.  It seems obvious to stock up an beneficial foods first, and for flavor and calories, to supplement with the fuel foods we enjoy, and to just avoid the junk.  This is not that difficult if we remain mindful at the point of purchase and are willing to devote at least an hour a day to meal planning and preparation. Growing food and cooking are not my hobbies they are more like a religion, and I do not even see an option no to.  Who knows what direction this blog will take?  I plan on sharing insights in food procurement, production and preparation.  I am not a purist by any means and eat my fair share of greasy cheeseburgers at the local saloon, but 80 to 90% of the time I make thoughtful choices.  When I prepare a meal I am; part scientist/doctor, part artist/chef, part farmer/hunter-gatherer, and part grandmother/semi-organic cheapskate. 

Many of our unhealthy eating patterns have been ingrained since we were born and reinforced by TV. To help break our conditioning and create a healthier food framework I recommend 3 books as reference material.  First the " Encyclopedia of food values" by Netzer to give you a general idea of the caloric ratios of fat to protein to carbohydrate, in most foods,  Second I recommend the blood type books by Dr D'Adamo, and the zone books by Dr. Sears.  Not that I agree with everything these guys say, but they offer a thoughtful, scientific and useful baseline to assist us in making more informed food choices.