Blog #7: Research Project

My curiosity of nutrition began at the beginning of the semester when we first started reading Michael Pollans Omnivores Dilemma. I had decided that it would be a good idea to catch up on the latest media to see what the film industry had to say about our eating habits and food culture. From Fast Food Nation to Food Inc., the more I watched the more curious (as well as grossed out) I became. It was the documentary Food Matters that really hit a chord with me. Many of the other films focused on what kind of food culture we are currently submerged in. Food Matters explained exactly how our bodies are reacting to this food culture and the affects that it's having on our lives.

Throughout my research I think the biggest surprises have come from why our bodies have been drained of much of their nutrients. For example, I didn't know that you should never drink liquids 30min before, during, or  30min after meals because it drowns your stomach denying much of the intake of nutrients. I was also surprised to find that the combination of types of foods such as proteins, carbohydrates, salads and fruit have an affect on your nutrient intake. Carbohydrates and proteins should not be eaten together because proteins produce acidic juices and digest slowly while carbohydrates produce alkaline juices and digest much faster. Mixing these two groups cause both acids to neutralize each other making the food not digest properly, creating gas, bloating, malabsorption, and energy drain to say the least. Vegetables aid both proteins and carbohydrates. Fruit should always be eaten on its own and allowed 30 minutes eating time spaced between any other type of food to gain the most from eating it. I had no idea that the way we choose to eat particular foods can have an affect on our bodies in such a dramatic way.

I have purchased a number of books to help with the research of my paper, including some on the nutritional therapy of cancer. After learning about how nutrient deficient our American lives are, I've taken a personal oath to learn more about how to take care of myself and what I can do to pass it on to future generations. I firmly believe that knowledge is power and by continuing my own studies, not only to satisfy my curiosity but to also expand my mind and improve my health for years to come, I will benefit and my family will benefit from the information provided to me. I want to know that what these doctors say about nutrition is true. I want to feel more energized and healthy and if nutrition is the simple and obvious answer than what do I have to lose?

This semester has been quite a fantastic journey of learning for me, especially in this English class. I don't ever remember feeling so challenged and curious at the same time. All of the material provided was a learning experience in itself and allowed for me to explore avenues I may have never crossed.

Blog #5: Televised Food

One of my favorite food shows of all time is "Iron Chef". And I don't mean "Iron Chef America", I mean the original. My favorite part of this show is how the chefs have to create a full course meal using one main ingredient in every course. I think it is so challenging to have to pull that off and make it taste good. Not only is it challenging, but the competitors have to be creative and able to think on their feet because there is a limited amount of time that they have to complete their meals.

I think "Iron Chef" is more connected to the art of cooking rather than what many of these new cooking shows focus on talking and kind of cooking.  I feel as though modern cooking shows are all about an image. They place themselves in a kitchen where you could picture yourself and you watch them bake or cook. The hosts don't spend much time explaining how exactly to cook these meals without having to look it up online later. I feel as though they spend too much time painting these pictures in your head of where you could eat this meal, who you could it with, rather than focusing on the food itself. The last complaint I have about modern cooking or food shows are the fact that everything they choose to make feels IMPOSSIBLE for a beginning cook like myself to tackle. We are all aware that many Americans lack cooking skills ever since they made home economics a choice in public schools. I cannot start out cooking by making a ham-stuffed chicken breast with pine nuts. If I feel that it is too challenging, I don't want to waste my time on it.

I feel as though cooking shows need less talk and more cooking. The art of cooking has been lost. Julia Child was fantastic to watch. The older she got, the more I loved to watch her. As a viewer you really felt like you were cooking with her, experiencing what she was doing. Her interpretation of cooking was easy to understand and so much fun to watch. Americans don't appreciate cooking like they used to, so when they throw in a lot of discussion, networks turn it into a talk-food-show. Americans love to feel like they are involved and I think this is a strong strategy for many food channels to focus on to keep their audiences tuned in. I feel as though it would be more successful if they could manage to bring some of the cooking back into their shows.

Blog #3: The Language of Food

As I made my way through Walnut Creek's very own Whole Foods Market, I felt like I was in a bio-dome of fresh produce and food. I could smell the savory sandwiches from the bakery and the freshly cooked chickens for easy pick-up. As I made my way through the produce section, I noticed how contrasted the lighting was, almost as if to highlight their magnificent amount of vegetables and fruits. I looked from left, to right, noticing how the natural color scheme of the interior made an organic statement. It was time to zone in on some of Whole Foods products. From French cheese to pet products, it seemed that almost anything could be classified as organic. They really hone in on the organic message in the produce section. From constant labels and signs reminding you that their product is locally grown “without the use of long-lasting chemical pesticides and fertilizers”(that quote taken from the produce section of their website).

I am a HUGE cheese fan. Walking through their cheese section makes me weak in the knees. They have even provided a clerk to help me pick the perfect cheese for my occasion. I noticed that every cheese had a label would describe their type of cheese, what animal it came from, their country of origin, the firmness of the cheese, some labels even had fun facts included to make you feel a sense of nostalgia as you contemplated whether or not if this cheese is the perfect one for what you want.  They give you this feeling of being in a local market in the European countryside that many American’s aren’t familiar with. We cherish this feeling of knowing exactly where our food comes from – or so we think.

I feel as though Whole Foods should be treated as a specialty food market, not one you would shop at everyday. I think the opportunity they provide for their customers to try such delectable products from all over the world is fantastic, but our every day shopping should be contained to local food markets allowing us to support our local economy. We are merely too engulfed in getting the best of the best product available that we are too selfish to purchase from local farmers or even raise our own produce. We American’s expect to have these opportunities handed to us so we can throw our money around thoughtlessly on things that aren’t always necessary. I’m not going to argue about having the chance to try a rare triple crème brie from France, but treating oneself rarely and enjoying the experience is much different than abusing it on a day to day basis. I wish that we as American's had a bigger opportunity to participate in local famer's markets. I know the one in my city only runs certain days and times of the week, unfortunately times that I am never available to attend. 

Blog #2: Processed Corn, Walking

Watching your eating habits when you’re pre-occupied is much harder to do when you’re not. I figured this assignment would be best is observed in two different kinds of days: A school day vs. a workday. My findings peaked my interest.

Every morning before I head out to DVC at 8am, I wake up, eat breakfast, and then pack myself a lunch for later. Breakfast usually consists of a glass of organic orange juice, a cup of natural yogurt, a whole-wheat bagel, and a banana. The only corn I managed to discover in this portion of my meal was the degerminated yellow corn meal and xanthum gum blend. I was a little surprised to find these ingredients in my whole-wheat bagel.

For lunch, I pack an organic apple, a cheese stick, grapes, carrot sticks, and a luna bar. I was expecting the luna bar to have some form of corn included in its make up, but surprisingly, it didn’t! There were many soy ingredients though.

When I arrive home at 6pm in the evening, I fix myself a veggie burger with a side of steamed veggies. I figured I would find a decent amount of corn made into my burger, but there was more mushrooms and cheese than any corn. I wasn’t sure if I should be surprised or not. I mean, I was eating a vegetable burger! You’d think that there would be corn in a veggie burger!

My school days seemed to leave me with very little corn in my diet. I was happy to learn that my diet contained nutrition that isn’t merely fillers in my food, but actual minerals and vitamins.

My eating habits at work were the complete opposite. I am employed with Starbucks Coffee and most of the time during my long 8 hour shifts, I eat what ever is available to me there.  It may sound weird, but I’m not much of a coffee drinker. Two years with all the espresso beverages you want leaves you burnt out on caramel macchiato’s. When I arrive to work, I snack on a banana with a strawberry banana smoothie. What’s better than having some banana with your banana? For lunch, I’ll nuke a breakfast sandwich in out warming oven. This is probably the most corn-saturated item in my diet. Its roll includes white degerminated corn meal, the egg on the sandwich was probably taken from a corn fed chicken, and the bacon that probably came from a corn fed pig.  Since I’ve discovered this, I’ve limited my intake of all of our breakfast sandwiches and lunch sandwiches. I can say that my days at work don’t aid my nutrition much. I know that I have the ability to bring a lunch and provide myself a more accommodating meal, but it’s so hard when you know that there is an easy lunch waiting for you at work. This experiment has definitely made me more aware of my corn tendencies and what ways I can go about improving my diet.

Blog #1: What's For Dinner?

In the Spring of 2009, I moved into a new apartment with my boyfriend who is of Bulgarian nationality. Cooking was a very abstract engagement that I rarely found myself involved with because of my intensive schedule. Although I may not have had many opportunities to cook, due to the fact that I was deeply involved with competitive Irish dancing, I would occasionally become curious of my nutritional health. What foods would help me perform better? Which entrees would help my muscles recover after a long workout? I never acted on my curiosity at the time, but as I got older, I would begin to discover all of the knowledge I've been missing out on.

When I first explained to my boyfriend that I didn't really know how to cook, he looked at me like I was crazy. On his side of the world, cooking was a frequent activity. From enjoying fresh cows milk in the morning, to eating what grandmother prepared from the garden for dinner, they are more in touch with their diet than any American could ever imagine being. The fact is: in Bulgaria, women know how to cook. This spoiled attitude of a home cook meal was hard for him to over come when I presented him with my dilemma: I don't know how to cook.

Over the first few months of living together, he taught me how to make a traditional Mediterranean salad:  sliced fresh cucumber, diced red onion, and one cut up portion of a juicy organic heirloom tomato. This was all tossed into a bowl and topped with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt. I never knew that such a delicious salad could exists! Not only is it simple to make, but it is packed full of nutrients and tastes amazing!  Cucumbers contain antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, and silica, a nutrient that is particularly good for healthy skin. Red onions are packed full of quercetin, an antioxidant that helps make for a healthier heart. Tomato's are good for your eyes and are a great source of lycopene, a helpful antioxidant that aids in preventing certain types of cancer.

After discovering this new piece of heaven, I wanted it with every meal we cooked. We decided that engaging in the act of cooking is a great way to spend time together as well as providing the opportunity to eat a delicious meal. Since we have been living together, our most frequently cooked meal is in the evening and it is usually accompanied with this Mediterranean salad. I can assuredly say that my living situation has not only inspired me to cook, but has also benefitted my nutritional health.