Let Us Eat Iceberg Lettuce

Today is Thursday, April 24th

The Topic of Today is:

Iceberg Lettuce

While grocery shopping, I often hear people giving others wacky advice about food and nutrition.  I chuckle to myself and move on.  One of the most common “words of wisdom” given by these pseudo scientists is the warning not to eat iceberg lettuce.  They tell people it has no nutritional value and that is not true.  Every food has some nutritional value.  I think the best thing about iceberg besides the crunch is the water content.  Many people are walking around dehydrated from drinking coffee, tea, and caffeinated soda pop throughout the day and iceberg lettuce is 68% water.  One cup contains 10 calories, 22% of your vitamin K needs, 13 mg of calcium along with small amounts of 16 different vitamins and minerals. Although they are small, I believe all are placed in the right combination and work in synergy.  

I have seen iceberg lettuce work as a great diet tool for a client trying to lose weight.  The client would cut a head of lettuce in 6 wedges and eat 1 wedge (no dressing) before her lunch and dinner.  It caused her to eat less and improved her elimination due to the fiber content.  She also said she loved the crunch.  People taking the medication warfarin (coumadin) or those with some bowel disorders must be careful when eating all types of lettuce and most people know how much they can tolerate.  So next time you are at the grocery store or hear someone say iceberg lettuce is “bad”, come to its defense!

Quote of the day:

” Don’t Allow Mr. and Mrs. Iceberg Lettuce Head” to be Shipwrecked!” –  Suzanne

Take Action Today:

Enjoy the crunch and hydrate yourself with a wedge of iceberg lettuce, it may even help shed a few pounds!

 

Are you grateful for water?

Today is Thursday, February 13^th

The topic or question of the day:

 Water

When I ask people to recall everything they ate or drank in the past 24 hours, most will not mention water, yet water is one of the 6 nutrients our bodies need to survive.  In fact, the human body cannot go without water for more than a week, short of a miracle.  We tend to take water for granted and yet it is amazing.  We should be much more thankful for our clean water here in Oklahoma since over 1 billion people lack safe access to water (University of Nebraska).

We need about 2 ½ quarts of water per day from drinking and eating foods to maintain good health.   Adequate water intake supports digestion, elimination, hydration and dental health.  “Doctoring” up our water at home has several benefits.  Ginger is known to help with nausea and lemons cleanse the mouth and can dislodge phlegm.  Lemons also work as a  powerful bacteria fighter.  Cucumbers have a unique, clean taste and in my opinion, neutralize the saliva in our mouths as does parsley.

Bottled waters have become fashionable and there are many types of water sold on the market today, each a little different.  Mineral water, such as Pellegrino must contain at least 500 mg of minerals per liter by law.  Spring water is bottled from underground springs and can only be labeled natural if it is bottled directly from the ground without further processing.  Seltzer is artificially carbonated tap water and does not contain minerals or salts.  Sparkling water contains dissolved carbon dioxide gas to make it bubbly.

Oklahomans get approximately 63% of its water from surface water sources and 37% from ground water sources such as aquifers.  According to Morris County, New Jersey municipal utilities authority, if all the world’s water were fit into a gallon jug, the fresh water available for us to use would equal only about 1 Tablespoon.  I know this makes me much more grateful to God and for RWD #7 water station in Claremore, Oklahoma that delivers my home clean, tasty water.

Quote of the Day:

“Water is the only drink for a wise man” – Henry David Thoreau.

Take Action Today:

• Drink fresh water in a glass, not plastic.
• Try some of the following water recipes:

Ginger – Lemon Water 

½ gallon water (8 cups)

¼ cup fresh ginger

root peeled and sliced

1 lemon sliced in rings

Soak ginger overnight in

water; remove ginger and

float lemon rings in ginger

water.  Serve over ice.

Basil-Orange Water

½ gallon water (8 cups)

6 basil leaves

1 sliced orange

Soak overnight in refrigerator.

Carrot Water

Soak 2 large carrots, cut into chunks into 8 cups cold water.  Chill overnight.

Parsley Water

Soak 1 cup parsley in 8 cups cold water.  Chill overnight.