SlimKicker: A New Way to Motivate Healthy Habits

One of my readers, who is way more tech-savvy than I, has just started a new site and app to help people motivate themselves to increase their healthy habits, particularly when it comes to exercise. I've checked it out and it looks really good--and it's free! There are already lots of users. You can peruse it, too, at http://www.slimkicker.com/?tag=beta1.

This is her philosophy:

"For me, I think the problem with being healthy is motivation. It's an abstract, overwhelming goal. I think the best way to counter this is to have concrete, winnable games and small victories.

So, this app will makes living healthy, and fitness into a RPG game, where users earn points, and "level up' as they achieve their goals. Everytime they eat something healthy like vegetables, they earn points. Everytime they complete a workout, they earn points. Each level will present different challenges.

The challenges will follow a certain structure. First will come changing your environment such as getting rid of junk food. Then, reducing stress, as stress leads to eating comfort food. Then concrete goals like keeping track of everything you eat, or taking the stairs for a week. Small, concrete goals rather than abstract ones like "be healthy" or "exercise more".

The whole point is to create a holistic framework/game so people will rely less on willpower, and more on fun, achievement, and changing our environment."

What Soy Foods to Avoid

For those who may have not taken the time to go to all the links I posted in my previous article on soy foods, I thought I would briefly post specifics on what soy foods to avoid (taken from this article). This is as much for my benefit as for anyone else's because, while I consciously avoid buying soy food products for my family, I sometimes forget what other names they are known by. And these ingredients are found so often in processed foods--yet another reason to make everything from scratch.

Soy foods to avoid include:

• Soy milk
• Soy protein powder/bars
• Soy nuts
• Soy cheese
• Soy burgers
• Soy yogurt
• Soy ice cream
• Soy baby formula

Less obvious soy foods to also avoid (which are typical in processed foods):

• Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• Textured plant protein
• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
• Vegetable protein concentrate
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
• Lecithin (usually from soy)
• Vegetable oil (usually from soy)
• Vegetable broth (usually from soy)
• Bouillon (usually from soy)
• Natural flavor (usually from soy)
• Mono-diglyceride(usually from soy)

And for those with particular sensitivity to soy, the list is even more extensive, including isoflavones, guar gum, and mayonnaise. See this article for the entire list.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

When my 4-year-old tasted this a couple nights ago, her response was, "Mommy, this is so yummy!" The rest of us agree.


This "bread" recipe is modified from my mom's and is actually more like cake. The sauce recipe I modified from my Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, p. 483.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

3 to 3 1/2c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
1 c. oil (or butter)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond flavoring
1 1/6 c. honey
1 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 1/2 Tb. poppy seeds

Mix all ingredients together. Add more flour if too runny, but should be like cake dough, not bread dough.

Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans or 1 large Bundt pan (don't use regular cake pan).

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, depending on size and depth of pan, until nicely browned and passes the toothpick/knife test.

Once out of oven and while still warm, mix sauce and baste on loaves.

Lemon Sauce

1/3 c. raw sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/8 c. water
1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1/8 c. lemon juice
1 beaten egg yolk
3 Tb. butter, cut up
1/8 c. half-and-half, light cream, or milk

In small saucepan stir together raw sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.

Remove from heat and gradually stir egg yolk into hot mixture. Return to hotplate and cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Gradually stir in butter until melted. Stir in half-and-half (or milk). Pour slowly over cake loaves while still in pans, until top is all coated.

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Why We Don't Eat Soy Foods

I cringe every time I hear a particular ad on news radio about "heart healthy" diets that include soy foods. There is so much bad eating advice given by nutritionists and governmental programs that it is, in my mind, criminal. If you do the research, you'll find, as I have, that soy--particularly in large amounts--is actually very unhealthy and can, in fact, cause health problems.  (And I'm not even talking about soy as an allergen; did you know it's in the top 8 list of allergens?) Now, I like soy milk and soy nuts, but I haven't felt good about including even these in my family's diet the last couple years.

Note: Most researches agree that soy eaten in its organic, whole food form (such as edamame and soybean sprouts) is healthful, but proponents of soy foods do not generally issue such limited recommendations. And Dr. Mercola goes even farther, to say that only fermented soy is healthful.

One big argument for soy foods that I often hear is, "The Asian world eats lots of soy and they have the healthiest hearts." Well, "lots" is actually a misconception. In the Cornell study of China, cited in an article on the WAPF website, it was found that the Chinese ate only about 2 teaspoons of soy per day--in other words, a condiment amount. Interestingly, the Japanese daily diet contains a third the amount of soy protein as the US's FDA recommended amount--which recommendation was made, incidentally, after one study funded by the soy industry.

As explained in the above article, high amounts of soy in the diet can cause disruptions in hormones, the endocrine system, and thyroid function, and can really cause problems for infants fed soy-based formulas. (Another article discusses how these formulas are similar to birth control pills!) But the problems don't stop there. Yet one more article I found at WAPF debunks the most popular soy myths. Here are a few of them:

Soy foods...

• Are processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens,
• Do not supply needed B12 to the vegetarian diet because "the compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12,"
• Do not prevent osteoporosis because they "cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D,"
• Do not prevent heart disease because "in some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol improves one's risk of having heart disease" (one of the biggest myths in modern medicine, that most people think is fact--a topic for another post),
• Do not enhance mental ability. In fact, "In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease in later life,"
• Contain a lot of MSG because "free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods."

On the Weston A. Price Foundation website, there is an article that explains the process soybeans goes through to make soy milk, which shows quite clearly that soy foods aren't even "real food" and are very processed. How the FDA and the American Heart Association ever became convinced that such products were healthful is blatant proof that the people in those organizations never did the research. In my humble opinion...

If you're interested in learning more, you can check out these other websites:

The Great Soy Controversy by Real Food Forager (which includes links to 3 studies)

Dr. Mercola (which includes a video about the dangers of soy)

Wise Woman Tradition (which includes what soy foods to avoid and which ones are actually healthful)

Trampoline Jogging (with a Confession)

My sister has been using a mini trampoline (AKA "rebounder") for quite a while to improve her health and well-being. After hearing her talk several times about how much it is helping her, and what her research turned up about all it actually does for the body, I decided to make the investment myself (which actually isn't a very expensive investment). I realized at the end of 2011 that I needed a change in my exercise routine. It just wasn't that fun anymore and I was having a hard time staying motivated. I also felt that I wasn't getting enough of a cardio workout and wanted to do better. Then, too, I had recently realized that my preschool-aged daughter wasn't getting enough exercise during these cold, sometimes lethargic, days of winter, and her nighttime sleep was suffering as a result. But she loves to jump on trampolines. So when I saw an ad for a sale on mini trampolines at a local store, I got excited. I thought this might be the change I was looking for.

It wasn't until later that I remembered my mom daily jogging on a mini trampoline when I was young... Funny how history so often repeats itself.

Now I have been jogging on my tramp about 5 days a week for a couple months and I'm still loving it! I started out at 30 minutes per session and am increasing my time. My sister uses hers to actually jump on, and research I have found indicates that may be the most beneficial way to exercise on a trampoline, because "[the] twice-gravity bounce affects every muscle and cell of the body." But because of my knee problems, I have found that even low impact jumping isn't a good option for me. So I jog. Happily, the above-quoted website says that is great too:

"Rebounding offers an exercise that can be adjusted to your fitness level, is easy on your joints and back, and can be done in your home at your convenience while providing a safe, gentle low-impact workout. Studies show that jogging or rebounding on a trampoline will burn more calories than traditional jogging. Exercising on a trampoline can also strengthen your heart, improve your circulation, stimulate the flow in your lymphatic system, revitalize vision, help slow the effects of aging, reduce stress, and benefit children with learning disabilities and cystic fibrosis."

Wow. This makes me excited all over again. And the website includes 31 ways jogging/rebounding can improve your well-being. It's a pretty awesome list! Number 27 states that "rebounding can curtail fatigue and menstrual discomfort for women." I am hoping that is true for me; it certainly seemed to work this month in both ways, when I pushed through the "blahness" of my first postpartum menses and jogged even though I didn't feel like it. I hope this continues to be the case!

A few days ago I finished the book Born to Run (the book which inspired the Huaraches I mentioned recently), which made me wish again that I were a runner, and also got me thinking how I could use the principles I learned to become more fit while still helping my joints and feet be strong and healthy. Now I think about it every time I jog on my tramp, to try to improve my gait and form--and of course I jog without shoes.

LiveStrong.com has a whole bunch of articles about the benefits of using a rebounder. Another site affirms what I see happening (at long last) as I try to "bounce back" after having my third baby:


"Working out on the trampoline quickly increases the heart rate and causes effective fat burning, stimulation of the lymphatic system, increased oxygen flow as well as improved lung capacity. Regular workouts on the jogging trampoline will effectively deliver a well toned body as well as other benefits of exercising such as reduced stress levels and skeletal strength. All these benefits are delivered with greater safety for leg joints and the spine..."

Finally, we get to my confession: One way I keep tramp-jogging fun, which also motivates me to want to exercise every day, is to watch part of a movie while I do it. My sister tells me she does the same thing, so I know I'm not the only one. Is this cheating? I don't know, but it works!

Thanks, Sis, for instigating this positive exercise change in my life! :)

Givmo

I've mentioned Freecycle (here and here) and what a great venue it has been for me to give away items I no longer need that others can use. (Oh yeah, and I've gotten a few good things this way too.) I just learned about another site that enables free giving and receiving on a slightly different level, with a bit more sophistication. It's called Givmo and this little video clip tells you the basics:

Chicken Asparagus Casserole

A couple days ago I was looking up asparagus recipes online and found this one. It uses fresh asparagus and other vegetables, which was just what I needed. This is definitely one I will be using again! I love how all the flavors complement each other and all the colors create a cheerful-looking dish. Note: This recipe would also be delicious without the chicken.

CHICKEN ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE

8 ozs egg noodles (I didn't have these, so I used whole wheat corkscrew pasta)
1 1/3 Tb. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 c. cooked chicken, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 c. chicken stock (I just used the water in which I cooked the chicken)
1 1/2 c. sour cream (I was almost out of this, so I also used some plain yogurt)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
garlic salt, to taste
1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces (I used more)
8 Tb. fresh grated Parmesan cheese, divided (I didn't want to use up all my Parmesan, so I used half this amount, plus some grated Monterrey Jack I had on hand. This was a good substitution, but the Parmesan definitely adds a lot to the flavor, so don't substitute it out completely.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9x12 casserole dish.
Cook noodles until almost tender; drain.
Cook onion in olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add red pepper, celery, and chicken stock. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken at end.
Take off heat and add sour cream, oregano, and garlic salt.
Spread half the chicken mixture in prepared dish.
Arrange asparagus over chicken mixture. Spread noodles evenly over this and sprinkle half the Parmesan cheese over the top.
Cover with remaining chicken mixture, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake 30 minutes in preheated oven, until lightly browned.

Peppermint Essential Oil

The longer I use essential oils, the more uses I find for peppermint. So much so, in fact, that it has become one of my very favorite oils. Amazingly, peppermint is an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, astringent, expectorant, and stimulant! I can attest to its having many of these attributes. Here are some ways it helps me and my family:

• Soothes muscle aches and pains (for me, even better than the blend DeepBlue)
• Eases indigestion (especially when taken internally*)
• Alleviates headaches
• Opens up sinus congestion and relieves pressure
• Increases alertness (great for use in meetings or while driving long distances)
• Creates fabulous breath (a side benefit I've noticed when taking it internally*)
• Helps bring down a fever
• Is very tasty when added to homemade brownies and homemade ice cream (both without refined sugar, of course).*

*You can only do this with certified therapeutic grade oils, like doTerra, because they are completely pure and completely safe for ingestion. And with each drop being the equivalent of 28 cups of peppermint tea, the flavor goes a long way but also has concentrated medicinal benefits.

The coolest thing about essential oils, to me, is that they empower me to self-medicate safely and with no side effects, yet very effectively. This is way more than plain old aromatherapy, folks!

If you're interested in learning more about this lovely oil, including many more uses for it, check out this site. And if you're interested in the science behind why peppermint works (and how it can work in so many different ways), click here.

Island Franks

The original version of this recipe, long loved by many members of my family, includes hot dogs. As those aren't the healthiest items to be eating, we have recently discovered that the recipe can be modified to include more vegetables and other types of meat--or none at all. However we've made it, as long as it includes lots of sauce, it's delicious!

Island Franks
(Topping for Rice)

1 9-oz can (1 c.) pineapple tidbits
1/2 lb. meat of choice, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (optional)
2 Tb. butter
1/2 c. sliced onion
1 green pepper, cut in strips
Other vegetables*, if desired

Sauce:

1 can broth (or equivalent amount of homemade bone broth)
1 Tb. cornstarch
1/2 Tb. honey
dash of salt
2 Tb. vinegar
1 Tb. soy sauce

Drain one can pineapple tidbits, reserving juice.

In skillet, melt butter. Add sliced onion and green pepper. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min.

Mix cornstarch with reserved pineapple juice until cornstarch is dissolved and not lumpy (this is easy to do as long as the juice is not yet heated).  Add honey, salt, vinegar, and soy sauce. Add can of broth. Cook and stir until mixture thickens. Add pineapple. Add meat, if desired. Heat thoroughly.

Serve over hot brown rice.

*So far we have tried chopped cabbage and broccoli--but really, whatever you have on hand that needs using--and increased the sauce amount, as needed. Yum! 

Budget Saver Tip #30: Homemade Laundry Detergent

Well, I finally, finally, finally made that laundry detergent I mentioned back here, which I've been meaning to make for ages.  And the verdict is...I'm hooked with this detergent too! Here are my reasons:

1) It's very inexpensive to make (see the cost breakdown here)--about .05 cents per load,
2) I know exactly what's in it--and there are only 3 ingredients,
3) It will last a long time, since so little of it needs to be used per load, and
4) It makes my clothes smell fresh--just a hint of a scent--without smelling perfumed (which gives me a headache).

The recipe I used is from diyNatural:

Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent
Note: I made about 6 times this recipe at once (the amount of soap that would fit in my food processor). But as is, this makes about 32 oz. of detergent.

• 1 bar of shaved bar soap (I used Ivory and some leftover Zote I had on hand, and I put it through my food processor, which did a perfect job)
• 1 c. Borax
• 1 c. washing soda

Mix together thoroughly for five minutes.

That's it!

You only need about 1 Tb. detergent per load, 2 Tb. for a heavily soiled load.

Cabbage Recipes

Calling all Cabbage Recipes! Good ones, that is. There are so many bland or mediocre ones out there that I have never developed a love affair with cabbage. But I want to. I like sauerkraut, but that's not a dish in itself (in my book), and while I may make cabbage rolls sometime, that recipe is made of more filling than vegetable.
So if you have a yummy cabbage dish to recommend, pleeease send me the recipe by clicking on the Contact Me tab at the top of the page, or by commenting below this post.

And if you have a yummy recipe that helps kids actually like cabbage, I will sing your praises (and may even kiss your feet).